As in Japan they sold temporary wives or the real story of chio-chio-san. The true story of Cio Cio San (photo) Puccini Madame Butterfly Summary
Opera in three acts. Libretto by L. Illiki and D. Giacosa in the drama of D. Belasco and D.L. Long.
Characters: Cio-Cio-San soprano; Suzuki - mezzo-soprano; Pinkerton - US Navy lieutenant - tenor; Kat, Pinkerton's wife is a soprano; Prince Yamadori - tenor; Sharpless, American Consul Baritone; Goro, broker-swat - tenor; Bonza, Uncle Cio Cio San Bass; Commissar - Baritone; The officer is a tenor; relatives, friends, girlfriends and servants of Cio-Cio-San.
The action takes place in the vicinity of Nagasaki in the 20th century.
Action one
A hillside in the vicinity of the Japanese port of Nagasaki ... In the foreground - a Japanese house with a porch, under the windows - cherry blossoms ...
The house is being inspected by the United States seaman-officer, Franklin Benjamin Pinkerton. A helpful real estate and people trader, Goro, rents a house for him, immediately representing Japanese servants who are “attached” to the premises for the same price.
Soon, Chio-Cio-San will appear in the house, or, as Pinkerton calls her, Butterfly, which Goro sold to an American sailor for 100 yen.
Guest arrives: Sharples, US Consul in Nagasaki. His conscience and sense of responsibility for the actions committed are still alive in him; he warns Pinkerton that this “temporary marriage” is a dangerous and nasty game that could cost the life of Cio-Cio-San.
The self-confident lieutenant escapes the consul's fears only with a shrug.
Friends drink wine. Empty and refill glasses. Pinkerton is already making a toast to the health of another girl whom he marries in America ... That marriage will no longer be just a colonial joke, but a real, sacred bond between two equal white people.
Finally, comes, accompanied by friends, Cio-Cio-San. Girls kneel before the groom, and the consul asks the bride several questions.
Then officials and relatives appear. Having met each other, exchanging a few words, the guests disperse in the garden, Pinkerton and Butterfly can finally talk in private. Cio-Cio-San lays out his gizmos - a silk scarf, a belt, a buckle, a small mirror, a vase for paints and a samurai dagger, which her father had once committed suicide. Then a young “toy wife” confesses to Pinkerton that for her sake she decided to abandon the religion of her ancestors and adopt Christianity.
The wedding ceremony begins. In the midst of the celebration, Bonza arrives, Uncle Butterfly. He curses the apostate niece. A young woman falls, broken by the weight of the curse.
Pinkerton chases away all relatives, and soon a smile replaces the tears of a young woman.
A song is heard from the house: Suzuki's evening prayer.
Cio-Cio-San puts on his white night hood and says quietly:
We were left alone ... the world is so far.
Pinkerton hugs Butterfly with fervor.
Action two
Three years have passed.
The interior of the Butterfly house. Suzuki prays in front of the Buddha statue. She begs the ancient god to help Chio-Cio-San, who has been crying ever since Pinkerton left.
While Suzuki is praying, Cio-Cio-San lies motionless, but then a complaint bursts from her chest:
All in vain! There is no good god in Japan! ..
Suzuki is carefully trying to convince her mistress that once he leaves, the foreigner will no longer return. But Cio-Cio-San passionately defends his love. After all, she remembers his every word:
"When the roses bloom and the swallows start twisting nests, I will return to you."
And the imagination of a woman in love is drawn a picture of her husband's return. Pinkerton's slender figure reappears on the road, and the garden with cherry blossoms is again filled with happiness and sunshine.
A consul arrives at Butterfly, accompanied by Goro.
Then Prince Yamadori appears, wishing to marry the abandoned Chio-Cio-San. The young woman, however, proudly refers to American laws: she is the wife of Lieutenant Pinkerton, she can not be discarded as a bored toy.
The American consul came with sad news. He wants to tell Cio-Cio-San that Pinkerton is married. He even begins to read a letter from him, but is unable to utter tragic words; he only advises the unfortunate woman to obey Goro and marry Prince Yamadori.
In response, Cio-Cio-San takes out his little son. Pinkerton's son is a blond boy with an angelic smile.
What is the boy’s name? the consul asks.
The answer is quiet, but full of dignity:
Now his name is Sorrow, but if his father returns, they will call him Happy.
The consul leaves with nothing, and Goro, who called his son Butterfly illegal and “shameful,” Cio-Cio-San expels from the house.
A cannon shot is heard in the distance - an American ship enters the port, on the armored board of which there is an inscription - "Abraham Lincoln" - this is the ship on which Pinkerton is serving!
Chio-Cio-San and Suzuki excitedly decorate the house with flowers and cling to the window; Suzuki, Chio-Cio-San and a blond boy expect a master, husband, father ...
Action Three
The sun rises ...
Cio-Cio-San is still standing by the window; faith and hope have not left her ...
Pinkerton must come!
The room is filled with morning light.
Butterfly takes the sleeping child to the next room; Pinkerton, his American wife Kat, and Consul Sharpless appear in the garden.
Devotee Suzuki, barely holding back her tears, tells Pinkerton that Chio-Cio-San and the boy have been waiting for him all night.
Only men enter the house. A white woman, Kat, is walking in the garden among the flowers. Suzuki fearfully asks:
Who is this woman?
Sharples replies:
Pinkerton's wife.
And he continues: they came to take with them the son of Cio-Cio-San.
Suzuki's faithful servant leaves the room, completely shattered.
Pinkerton now realizes how frivolously he behaved. Touched, in tears, he says goodbye to the house in which he spent unforgettable hours of love.
As soon as Pinkerton leaves, Suzuki and Kat enter the room. Suzuki promises to persuade Chio-Cio-San to give his son to his father and his white wife. She only asks Kat to leave immediately, so as not to meet her mistress.
But on the threshold suddenly appears Cio-Cio-San. She thought Pinkerton came, and saw a white woman. There is no need for explanation: the heart of a loving Japanese woman feels more than what the stern face of the consul and the frightened, confused words of Suzuki say. For a second she was horrified: her husband might have died ... but she already knows that this is not true, Pinkerton died only for her. She takes a hit heroically.
When asked by Kat whether she would give her son, Cio-Cio-San replies proudly: "I will not give my son to another, let her father come for him."
The Americans are leaving. Cio-Cio-San expels Suzuki from the room.
She bows the traditional bow before the ancient Buddha statue and takes out the dagger that her father had once killed himself. As a warning, Chio-Cio-San reads aloud the lines etched on the blade:
Die with honor
if you can’t live with honor ...
At this moment, Suzuki sends his son to Chio-Chio-San, not wanting to leave her alone. The dagger falls from the hands of the mother. She hugs her child again, saying goodbye to him.
Then he sends the boy to the garden. With a dagger in her hand, she disappears behind a screen ...
Tense, painful silence ...
The sound of a falling dagger.
Butterfly, Butterfly!
Cio-Cio-San struggles out of the screen and falls dead.
Since the beginning of the last century, Puccini’s opera Madame Butterfly has been successfully staged on the stages of all theaters in the world. Wonderful music, inspired by the arias of the performers, and most importantly, a touching plot do not leave spectators indifferent, tears appear in the audience's eyes in the eyes of many women.
Temporary marriages were common in Japan. These were alliances between foreign citizens who had to reside in this country for a long time, and Japanese women. The girl given as a wife was called musume.
In the plot of the production, the American officer Pinkerton acquires a temporary wife, who is only fifteen years old. She has a beautiful name, Cio-Cio-San. The girl sincerely became attached and fell in love with her master. She even changed her faith for him, which pushed her relatives and friends away from her.
After the officer left the homeland, the young Japanese woman remained pregnant without hope of anyone else's help. Love and hope for the return of her beloved helped her in the struggle with difficulties.
Pinkerton returned three years later. But not to her, but only to her son. He was married. Cio-Cio-San no longer wants to live, she kills herself. The story created by writers and composer is tragic.
Temporary marriages in Japan were a frequent occurrence in the second half of the year before last, when sailors of the Russian fleet wintered in Nagasaki. Officers enjoyed the opportunity to have temporary wives. It was much more convenient and safer than using the services of temporary women.
Payment under the contract was monthly at 10-15 dollars, the term could be extended. At any time, it was possible to break off relations without any further obligations. The temporary wife was required to provide living conditions, including the payment of servants.
The contingent for the wives was made up of young persons, who were most often offered by their parents. Poor Japanese were forced to trade their daughters, so that in the future they could marry Japanese men, which could not be done without a dowry. Girls at such a young age could not earn money in another way.
Musume were considered legal temporary wives. This did not apply to prostitution. They were not geishas. The temporary wife without fail rendered all intimate services, but only to her man. She became an experienced woman, but did not get corrupted, serving numerous clients, as happens with a prostitute.
Temporary life with one male foreigner did not prevent the girl from continuing to be a good wife to the Japanese. The young creature from a poor family during the time spent next to a man, most often educated and educated, gained experience in family life and increased his intelligence.
Not only Russian naval officers resorted to the services of musume. It is known that the great princes from the Romanov dynasty also liked to buy young Japanese women.
In Nagasaki, merchant and military vessels from various countries stood for a long time. There were enough foreigners who wanted to get a wife for a while. The French writer Pierre Loti traveled a lot and in 1885 lived in Japan for two months. He bought a temporary wife, O-kiku-san, about whom he later wrote an interesting story.
The events described in Madame Chrysanthemum by Loti, the novella Long and Puccini's opera take place in Nagasaki (Japan's largest port city) at about the same time, i.e. at the end of the century before last.
For the short story, Long used the story that his sister told him. Sarah Jane was acquainted with the Scotsman Thomas Glover, who had a temporary wife in Nagasaki. Her name was Kaga Maki, but she had a pseudonym for speaking at the Cho-san teahouse. Translated from Japanese, this name means butterfly, in English butterfly (butterfly stroke).
D. Belasco used the material of the novella Long to write the play "Geisha", which had such a powerful effect on Puccini that he wrote the world famous opera "Madame Butterfly". She first saw the light in 1904 in Milan.
Now this story is included in the golden fund of opera and theater classics around the world.
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Opera “Madama Butterfly”
- lyric drama in three acts. Composer - Giacomo Puccini. The librettists are Giuseppe Giacosa and Luigi Illika.
The premiere took place on February 17, 1904.
The play was based on the playwright’s play. David Belasco "Geisha", which is the processing of a screenwriter novelJohn Luther Long "Madame Butterfly."
A young Japanese woman, Cio-Cio-san (also known as Butterfly), marries the lieutenant of the US Navy Pinkerton. For him, this marriage is just an unusual entertainment, because soon he is going to marry an American. Over time, Madame Butterfly and Pinkerton have a son. But the lieutenant leaves the family for three years, not sending news of himself. He then returns to Chio-Cio-san with his new wife (Kat) and is about to pick up his son. The Japanese woman can not stand such a blow: having decided to give her son, she says goodbye to him and thrusts a dagger into herself.
History of creation.
In the summer of 1900, Puccini attended a play based on a play in London. David Belasco "Madame Butterfly". He was very excited about the tragic fate of the main character. It was decided to write a new opera. The work is very consistent with the European fashion of that time: many artists sought to revive their creations with something unusual and drew inspiration from the folklore of the Far East. But for the composer, the plot itself remained paramount: the touching life drama of a young geisha. Nevertheless, Puccini did not miss the subtleties of oriental flavor: he used several Japanese tunes to create the necessary atmosphere. Opera "Madame Butterfly" tells about the clash of two civilizations - the refined East and the cynical West, the self-sacrifice of a fragile woman is opposed to the egoism of a heartless man.
The orchestral introduction to the opera is based on moving, rhythmically sharp music, depicting the environment in which the action takes place. A peculiar melodic pattern, whimsical rhythm and colorful harmonies convey the local flavor well. In the first act, all the main leitmotifs are manifested. Most of them are based on authentic Japanese tunes. Composing an opera. Puccini carefully studied the collections of Japanese folk songs and selected seven melodies that he introduced almost entirely to the opera. The composer used songs that were most diverse in character and genres: there are dance melodies, lyrical, and lamentable lamentations, and a lullaby. Therefore, all the music associated with the characterization of "little Chio-Chio-San" and its surroundings is imbued with the spirit of Japanese folklore.
Pinkerton’s small arioso, in which he sets out his life credo, is externally beautiful in music, but not superficial. A smooth, insinuating cantilent melody in the rhythm of a slow waltz draws the image of a typical Yankee, frivolous and careless, striving to "pick flowers wherever possible." The image of the main character, Cio-Cio-San, created by Puccini, is so rich and multifaceted that, in comparison with him, the characteristics of other heroes do not seem bright enough - they seem to reflect the light emitted from the pure appearance of a Japanese girl. Even the negative image of Pinkerton is ennobled; the opera does not fully reveal its true face.
"Madame Butterfly" is a new type of work for Puccini, in which all attention is focused on revealing the drama of one character. This is an opera monodrama.
Interesting facts:
- The premiere of the opera in February 1904 failed miserably (already in the first act, the audience whistled uncontrollably and shouted taunts at the work and the characters). But Giacomo Puccini was not used to giving up. He made a number of changes to the opera (from a two-act performance turned into a three-act, some numbers were reduced). Three months later, the composer made a second attempt to convey his creation to the viewer. This time it was a resounding success.
- Historians believe that the failure of the premiere of “Madame Butterfly” was not associated either with the play of the actors or with the instrumentation. There is a version that the reaction of the public was rigged by the ill-wishers of Giacomo Puccini.
- Puccini used a vocal phrase from the music of the American anthem to characterize the Americans - Pinkerton and Sharples.
- In February 1903, Giacomo Puccini had to postpone work on the opera. There was a serious reason for this: being an ardent fan of cars, the composer suffered from his own hobby. He had an accident and seriously injured his right leg. The fracture began to grow together incorrectly, and the leg had to be artificially broken again. The restoration took a lot of time, but in December of the same year, work on the work was completed.
Summary of the opera in the monologues of its characters FIRST ACTION
O love!
The seagull quickly rushed for the beloved
In a straight line!
Her path was instant and bright
Like a ray of sunshine in a moment of dawn.
Omar Yuriko
Pinkerton Monologue - What is this Goro talking? And, about the merits of a new home ... You might think that I am going to live in it forever. And what kind of strange stuffed animals? Servants? Well then, this girl is even nothing.
Rather, it would all be over. I want only one thing - to stay alone with the Butterfly doll!
Thank God there is at least one normal person, Sharples, an American. There is someone to drink with for a distant homeland, to chat. But he does not understand the soul of a sailor. However, in his years it is forgivable and fatherly to patronize young girls. All his reasoning is nonsense. I'm in love, she is too.
Beauty! How many young, graceful girls! A flower garden, no, a flock of butterflies ... But my Butterfly is the most charming among them. What does she tell Sharpless there? From a wealthy family, his father died, became a geisha. All this is in the past. She is only fifteen years old.
I will reveal to her the joy of love. She will be happy.
My God, what a strange string of ridiculous people! My new relatives are exactly the hired funny clowns. My Butterfly among them is like a swan in a flock of ravens. But Sharples is right, she takes things too seriously. Accept my faith, pray to God alone ... However, if she wants it ...
A wonderful country is Japan. What marvelous marriage contracts - they can be terminated at any time. And the ceremony is short - that's the beauty of it. Rather, everyone would disperse.
What kind of screaming is this? What a freak? What is he shouting about renunciation there? Do they renounce Chio-Cio-san? Well, all the better.
- Get out of here!
Finally we are alone. It’s a pity that the girl was so upset. But I will console her. She is so tender, so sweet. I love her! How I want her to become mine as soon as possible. My butterfly, you are in my arms!
- Let's go soon! We are flying!
INTERMISSION
SECOND ACTION Like a crying crane in the darkness of a black night
Only a cry is heard from afar -
Will I also cry
Just telling you from distant lands
And never again seeing you here!
Casa
Monologue of Suzuki, Chio-Cio-san's handmaids - Pray for Butterfly. For three years she has been waiting for her husband. But he is not there. No money either. What will we live on? But she believes, still stubbornly believes - Pinkerton will return, he promised ... Sweet, naive Butterfly, do American husbands come back ...
Consul Sharpless arrived. What news did he bestow? Brought a letter from Pinkerton. What does he write? Ah, Butterfly is so impatient, it doesn’t give it to the end. Is her husband really coming back?
Again this unbearable Goro brought the prince. He woo Butterfly. But Yamadori already had two dozen wives. Although ... He is rich, noble. And he is Japanese. Maybe this is for the best.
But Butterfly doesn’t want to hear about her new husband. What a show she made! Yes, she just laughs at this swaggering prince.
Well, everyone is gone. The consul can finally read the letter to the end. But Butterfly again does not listen, she is sure - Pinkerton will come!
Just why Sharpless asks such a strange question: "What will you do if your husband does not return?"
Poor Butterfly! She is desperate. He runs after his son. Sharples sees him for the first time. Pinkerton does not know that his son is growing, and when he finds out, he rushes here in full sail. Butterfly sure of that. Sharpless promises to inform Pinkerton of his son.
Who is this laughing? This is Goro, he heard everything. He has eavesdropped and is now mocking Butterfly, her loyalty, her hopes. Here Butterfly grabbed a dagger. God, she will kill him! But no, only scared. What an abomination this Goro!
Shot in the port. It happens when a ship approaches. Butterfly runs to watch. So it is - this is a ship, Pinkerton's ship! So he came back. So, not so many tears were shed in vain, it was not in vain that she waited! What a blessing! It is necessary to decorate the house with flowers. Let there be many flowers! Now dress Butterfly and the boy.
When will Pinkerton come? In an hour? In two? In the morning?
What a wonderful evening!
THIRD ACTION Opal foliage with paints
Only the wind walks
In the monophonic world.
Basho
Monologue Chio-Cio-san - Morning. It's morning already. What a short and how long night ...
Did not come. But he will come. I know. Will definitely come!
We need a little rest. My little son is completely tired. I'll put him to sleep.
But what is it? Some kind of voices. He came! Come!
- Suzuki! Suzuki! Where is he, where is he?
Not. How strange. But was he here? What are Sharpless and this woman doing here?
Why is Suzuki crying? What happened? Sharpless says this woman is Pinkerton's wife. No, that cannot be. Is that all, the end? How painful, how scary. But why did she come here? Oh, I understand. She wants to pick up her son. He wants to take him far, far. Forever and ever. This is the will of the husband. How happy she is, this woman ... Well, if he decided so, I agree. It will be better this way. Only let him come for him. In an hour. Gone ...
Everything is over. Light hurts your eyes!
Here is the treasured dagger. "The one who cannot save life with honor dies with honor."
The stomp of little legs. You, you, my son! My little deity, my beloved! You will never know that for your sake, for the sake of your clean eyes, your mother is dying. So that you can go there, across the sea and not be tormented when you grow up, that you left me. Look, look carefully at mom’s face, remember him. Goodbye, goodbye my beloved! Go, go, play!
And I go far away.
Show summary
The plot basis of the famous opera Madame Butterfly, or Chio-Cio-San by G. Puccini was the novel by the American writer John L. Long, reworked by D. Belasco into the play. However, the literary heroes - the Japanese girl Chio-Chio-San and the American lieutenant of the Navy Pinkerton - had real prototypes. The fact is that in the second half of the XIX century. in Japan they sold temporary wives. It was quite common such a thing as temporary marriages of foreigners with local girls. For a certain amount, you could buy a wife for your time in Japan.
A 15-year-old Japanese woman, whose marriage was only entertainment for an American officer, fell in love with him and even accepted his faith. Because of this, her family turned away from her. The American soon returned to his homeland and married another woman. And the Japanese woman bore him a son and continued to wait for his return. Three years later he returned with his new wife to pick up his son. As a result, Cio-Cio-San committed suicide. This is a summary of the story that has become a literary plot. But in real life there were many such stories.
The practice of selling temporary wives appeared at a time when the Russian fleet was based in Vladivostok and regularly wintered in Nagasaki. During their stay in Japan, many Russian officers bought local girls for cohabitation. They signed a contract for a period of one month to several years, according to which they could use the services of temporary wives for a monthly fee of 10-15 dollars. The duties of men included providing girls with housing, food, and hired servants. They could break the marriage at any time.
Foreigners called their wives “musume” - from the Japanese “girl”, “daughter”. As a rule, these were very young girls - 13-15 years old. Often, poor Japanese artisans and peasants themselves sold their daughters to foreigners, because these girls had no other way to earn a dowry. They received money and subsequently married local men.
Musume were neither geishas nor prostitutes. Unlike geisha, the responsibilities of temporary wives really included intimate services, but these girls did not sell themselves for money repeatedly and to different men - having earned a sufficient amount, they became respectable wives of the Japanese. The services of musume were used by many wealthy and noble Russians. Temporary wives were bought even by the great princes of the Romanov dynasty.
Merchant and military vessels came to Nagasaki not only from Russia. In 1885, the French navigator and writer Pierre Loti arrived in Japan and stayed there for two months. About two years later, he wrote about Madame Chrysanthemum about his temporary wife O-kiku-san. The action of Puccini's opera takes place at the same time and in the same place - Nagasaki, the end of the XIX century. D. L. Long describes the same events in his short story.
