Many of Puccini’s operas feature realistically drawn female characters that meet a tragic end, but none of these stories is more poignant than that of Cio-Cio-San, the title heroine of Madama Butterfly. This tale of a young Japanese geisha and her marriage to American naval officer explores themes of devotion and irresponsibility, fidelity and justice. Cio-Cio-San’s journey takes her from innocence and happy anticipation through failing hope to calm acceptance of the tragic destiny that her personal code of honor demands. But she is no frail victim. Her optimism in the midst of even the darkest of circumstances makes her a heroine in every sense of the word. It is Cio-Cio-San’s touching mixture of sweetness and anguish, vulnerability and courage that elicits some of Puccini’s most emotionally expansive and heartbreakingly tender music.
The Met’s production, first seen on Opening Night of the 2006–07 season, was directed by acclaimed filmmaker Anthony Minghella, who pointed out that in Madama Butterfly everything revolves around Cio-Cio-San. “It’s almost a monodrama,” he noted at the time of the premiere. “Everyone exists only in relation to her.” Minghella described what he saw as the director’s responsibility in bringing this particular opera to the stage: “I’d have to be crazy to do anything other than tell the story. To impose some kind of directorial conceit or tricks on a work that has such great integrity, and that has been so beloved for so long would have been a foolish act of presumption.” Minghella’s methods of storytelling embrace several techniques from the traditional theater of Japan, most notably the use of a Bunraku-style puppet for the silent role of Cio-Cio-San’s young son.
This guide is designed to help students both enjoy the musical and dramatic riches of Madama Butterfly and to examine the complex, sometimes ambiguous attitudes and behaviors that doom Cio-Cio-San to her fate. By exploring the subjects of Westernization and tradition that pulse through this opera, students will gain an understanding of the cultural forces that inform the story and examine some of the themes that continue to make Madama Butterfly such a compelling work of music theater. The activities on the following pages are designed to provide context, deepen background knowledge, and enrich the overall experience of this Live in HD transmission. This guide also aligns with key strands of the Common Core Standards.
