Madama Butterfly

Madama Butterfly (Madame Butterfly) is an opera in three acts (originally two acts) by Giacomo Puccini, with an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa. The opera was based in part on the short story "Madame Butterfly" (1898) by John Luther Long—which was turned into a play by David Belasco—and also on the novel Madame Chrysanthème (1887) by Pierre Loti.

The two-act version of the opera premiered on February 17, 1904, at La Scala in Milan. It was very poorly received despite the presence of such notable singers as soprano Rosina Storchio, tenor Giovanni Zenatello and baritone Giuseppe De Luca in the lead roles. On May 28 of that year, a revised version was performed in Brescia. The revision split the disproportionately long second act in two and included some other minor changes. In its new form, Puccini's opera was a huge success; it crossed the Atlantic to the Metropolitan Opera in New York in 1907.

The opera is set in the city of Nagasaki and, according to American scholar Arthur Groos, was based on events that actually occurred there in the early 1890s. Japan's best-known opera singer Tamaki Miura won international fame for her performances as Cio-Cio San and her statue, together with that of Puccini, can be found in Nagasaki's Glover Garden.

Today, the opera is enjoyed in two acts in Italy, while in America the three-act version is more popular. As a staple of the standard operatic repertoire, it appears at Number 1 on Opera America's list of the 20 most-performed operas in North America.

Renata Scotto is singer

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© 2008 v.j.m.a. (La Pepita)

music courtesy by
© 2008 j.a.o.a.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Puccini
• old
• japan
• aria
• madama
• butterfly
• turin
• 1967
• Salomea
• Krushelnitsky

[CzarDodon]

This is not Salomea Krushelnitsky, it's Renata Scotto. Krushelnitsky sang during the first part of the twentieth century, I wish we had recordings of this quality from that period. Scotto was a great Butterfly and probably Krushelnitsky was great too, but this is not her.

[9926arch]

@CzarDodon - Renata Scotto it is! Thank you

[vceam]

awesome... so beautiful

[olbel]

the best madame butterfly

[jeannepoisson]

@9926arch Thank you for your correction. Ah, it's Renata Scott ! I would like to know which recording of her, because it's the best Un bel di that I have ever heard ! She is really genius. L'aspetto is incredible !

[CzarDodon]

@scotto00 No question about it, it is Scotto, unmistakeably Scotto, absolutely Scotto. E INCONFONDIBILE

[overcus]

Phantastic! Genial! The best ever Butterfly!

[scotto00]

Perdonad,èsta es Renata scotto!!!!!

[molarmama5]

Now you know one reason why I fell in love with Japan.

[clairpie1]

Incredible. I can't wait to go to see this. I go to the opera in San Francisco. The War memorial opera house is unbelievable! And for anyone taking someone to the opera for the first time I suggest The Marriage of Figgaro. it's so funny and entertaining with some incredible arias.

[daisybtoes]

That was so beautiful...