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Home > Special Events > Opera > Madama Butterfly

Madama Butterfly

Madama Butterfly is an opera composed by Giacomo Puccini in which he combines elements of two period pieces. The first influence to his work was the 1898 short story, named "Madame Butterfly," written by John Luther Long. The second literary influence was a novel by Pierre Loti, which was titled "Madame Chrysantheme." This fusion of literature with Puccini's musical brilliance evolved through five rewrites into what is now commonly referred to as the "standard version," which debuted in 1907. The score includes the famous aria, "Un Bel Di," which is today considered a staple in the repertoire of operatic sopranos.

The plot of Madama Butterfly is set in Japan and follows the story of a young, Japanese woman who falls in love with a British Naval Officer at the turn of the century and is subsequently abandoned by him. The plot continues as tragedy unfolds for the young Cio-cio San, who is also known as Madame Butterfly.