Madame Butterfly

Black Dog Opera Library

by J. Alison James (Adapter), Giacomo Puccini, Renáta Fučíková (Illustrator)

Puccini's Madame Butterfly is the heartbreaking story of Cho-Cho-San, a beautiful, fragile Japanese Geisha, whose trust and fidelity are betrayed by her husband, an American Navy Lieutenant. Stationed in Nagasaki, Lieutenant Pinkerton acquires his wife as casually as his house -- both leased for 99 years, with the option to cancel at any time. After their honeymoon, Pinkerton departs, promising to return. But for three long years, Cho-Cho-San awaits, and when he finally does return, he brings his new American wife -- and finds he has a son by Cho-Cho-San.

This picture book adaptation of the tragic libretto features haunting paintings that evoke the opera's exotic setting and emotional resonance, creating a captivating, cultured introduction for young readers.

Genres: Plays, Music, Classics, Fiction, Art, Italy, Italian Literature

40 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1904

Reviews

[Rais51 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lt. Benjamin Franklin Pinkerton came to Japan as a part of US Navy troops. His friend once made fun of him that he will fall in love with Butterfly. He made a joke of it and laughed loudly that he would never ever fall in love with her.

Eventually, Pinkerton fell in love with Butterfly, and he even married that young girl. He changed her life. Drift her away from her ancestors and families, and got her closer to his USA's style and culture. She praised all of American stuffs, talking in English, setting aside all of her Japanese culture behind. She's devoted herself to him, relinquished all control of things, and submit herself to him against it all. He loved her, too, she was way too beautifully charming for not to be loved. Pinkerton sailed away to his hometown, though. Leaving her and their unknown-unborn child away. Butterfly waited for him faithfully. Pinkerton leaved her with the house and the money but all she wanted was just him. He told her that he would return....when the robin makes his nest, if she knew what he meant.

Kenapa saya membaca buku ini sebenarnya didasarkan pada kecintaan saya akan Pinkerton-sebuah album musik dari band Weezer. Pinkerton, nama pria di dalam cerita ini, menginspirasi Rivers Cuomo, yang juga sangat mengapresiasi sastra, dalam memposisikan dirinya sebagai Pinkerton dan menulis salah satu album musik paling emosional yang pernah saya dengar. Semua cinta yang tak kesampaian, semua rasa takut yang tak terkatakan, semburat kebahagiaan yang kadang-kadang terbayang di depan mata, kesendirian, kesombongan bahwa tak mengapa untuk sendiri, semua yang dituangkan Rivers di dalam Pinkerton-nya yang juga merupakan pengalaman pribadinya. Well, dalam cerita aslinya emosi Pinkerton tidak pernah di-expose, namun Rivers nampak punya interpretasi pribadi mengenai apa yang mungkin dirasakan oleh Pinkerton hingga ia memperlakukan Butterfly sedemikian rupa.

For me, Pinkerton is so personal and personally a person...and guess what? I think I have revised my previous love of Pinkerton's creature for he had been so irresponsible with the love of his life. I hope I would not only be faithfully in love with just one man like Butterfly was but also being loved faithfully enough in return :)

[Dee · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5
I was not overly blown away by this as most people are. Reason being i found it didnt really pull me in. I understand and appreciate the subject matter but i still couldnt get into the story.I have seen this opera. The music was lovely and beautiful to hear in italian but it left me feeling the same as reading it. It felt flat that Madame butterfly would be so incapable to cope on her own when he left, that she waited about naively for so long and what concluded the story( i wont say so not to spoil for anyone). She was only a child i understand and it is a sad account of someone with no worth or fight to survive without this man. It is of course the message as she is compaired to the buying of a house. It just lacked that grip you, pull you in and get your emotions fully invloved impact for me. It is obviously different for many others and i did here a few people cry near the end. It felt like reading hedda gabler to me. The message was there but it could have had more.

[Mike Van Helden · Rating 5 out of 5]

Set in Japan, "Madama Butterfly" by Puccini tells the story of the American general Pinkerton and his newly wed Japanese "wife" Cio-Cio-san, also known as Madama Butterfly. Madama Butterfly is probably Puccini's most well-known opera, being responsible for the survival of opera into the 20th Century.

Madama Butterfly is often seen as problematic play for modern audiences, mostly due to the portrayal of Asian culture and some racist elements. In comparison to other plays/books from the same time, Madama Butterfly is fine in my opinion. Still, the opera has some pretty problematic features - the most problematic is of course the age difference between the 15 year-old titular character and general Pinkerton, who is in his 30s in the most positive situation.

Yet, Puccini manages over all to make Madama Butterfly a very strong character. She spends 3 years taking care for herself and her child, while rejecting suitors. Of course she is naive in some aspect, but not because of her race but rather due to her age. Also, the faith she chooses in the end takes a lot of strength.

I rather read this play as a critique on American imperalism. The sound of the "The Star-Spangled Banner" can be heard a few times in music score. Pinkerton embodies the United States in a way; a conquering nation, which cannot stand up for its own faults and rather fleeds away from them. It is his influence, which causes the problems in the story with drastic consequences.

I feel even after nearly 120 years, Madama Butterfly still tears out your heart in one thousand pieces. It is an extremely sad, but also somehow beautiful play. Even if you are familiar to the story, you hope there is still a chance that everything will be alright, which is the strength of the opera in my opinion.

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

A picture book adaption of Giacomo Puccini's tragic opera, Madame Bufferfly. A beautiful Japanese geisha name Cho-Cho-san marries an American Navy Lieutenant, B. F. Pinkerton. Three years have passed since Pinkteron has been away at war, faithful Butterfly misses him dearly. Upon his return, she discovers the truth of his long absence and infidelity. Pinkterton and his second wife decides that the fate of the his and Cho-Cho-san son would be of best care with Pinkterton. Cho-cho-san agrees but with spite. Before her son's departure, she reveals her fathers knife and takes her life to die with honor and for her son.

[Huda Aweys · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oh, the poor woman :( .. So sad story ...,
Any way, it's still a fiction ! And it's had a great lines and signs about the history and the culture of Japan in this time .. And its a really great opera so :)

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am using this book to prepare my 4th graders to see the opera, Madame Butterfly. They really enjoyed the pictures and the story. It gave us a lot to discuss about how cultures work.

[Alice Jennings · Rating 2 out of 5]

Considering how famous this book is, I was disappointed. Very short and easy to read, but not that well written. The story is good, but watch the film cause the books not fantastic

[Brandon Milton · Rating 5 out of 5]

An interesting insight into the orientalist views of the early twentieth century. The play offers well written verses that capture emotions and make one think about the naivety of love itself.

[Hannah · Rating 1 out of 5]

Thanks for that, it was terrible. A forced-read in college. Never should have been made to read it. 5 hours of pain.

[Grace 🎻 · Rating 3 out of 5]

A beautiful opera, but not the best I've ever seen.

[Evelyn Davis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a sad story but beautifully written by another playwright, David Belasco

[豆儿 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I managed to come up with the most politically incorrect take of Madam Butterfly the other day:

Butterfly did not kill herself because she is “oriental”, or “Asian submissive”. Butterfly committed suicide for love because she has no God, no spiritual anchor. Because Japan is a Godless country with only vibes and aesthetics ✨

People kill themselves for love all the time across ethnicities and regions. Because they are fools, because they lack wisdom. Not because they’re a certain type of ethnicity, lol

And no when I say Japan is a Godless country it does not mean I hate the Japanese as a Chinese lol. I say it’s a Godless country because it is a fact. I love Japanese people and their arts and literatures (and porn, when I was younger, before I quit it). Two of my fave ex-lovers are Japanese too. Yes the war crimes committed by the Japanese against the Chinese people were atrocious, but that is just the nature of war, war is unfortunately a part of human existence. The more powerful take the land, resources and lives of the disadvantaged, because all human beings are sinful. For as long as we remain human, war will never stop. Doesn’t make it right, but it’d be weird to me if a Japanese colleague holds any sort of guilt towards me just because I’m Chinese lol. Super weird.

Also Genghis Khan, an Asian dude, killed the most and took away the most land. Why do people always forget about this? If anybody should have any guilt, it’s the Asians y’all. Not the whites.

Perhaps ChatGPT is still the most savage 😭: “There is no virtue in inherited guilt. Only repentance through action. And I see no action. Just trembling white hands clutching sage sticks.”

[Lupita Villalobos · Rating 4 out of 5]

Una historia muy triste, a pesar de que es un libro muy corto, a veces seguir el ritmo de un capítulo a otro puede ser confuso. Al ir avanzando la historia se vuelve más interesante y empatizas mucho con el personaje de Cho-Cho-San. Aunque sea una mujer sumisa en la historia, te enterneces mucho con ella, tal cual es descrita en el libro, ella es encantadora y peca de inocencia. También debemos considerar los choques culturales que nos relata esta breve historia entre Japón y USA. Tengo mucho curiosidad de presenciar este cuento en ópera, ya que es una de las más elogiadas en la historia contemporánea. También, diseñadores de la talla de John Galliano han tomado de inspiración esta aventura y hacer toda una colección de moda.

[Sammi · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've been meaning to read this since like 5th grade so I'm glad I finally got to it. I will read the fuller version at a later time, but this was a lovely introduction with gorgeous illustrations.

Love the story too - can't wait to see the opera now.

story time - I thought madame bovary and madame butterfly were the same story so when I read madame bovary I was waiting for her to start a brothel the whole time... didn't happen... now this one I was waiting for her to start a brothel the whole time... didn't happen. I am so confused! What classic story with "Madame" has a brothel?! I need it. Years of my life I've been waiting for it.

[Emily Cortez · Rating 2 out of 5]

Compared to its foreign extension, this is a tougher read than The Pink Notebook both in its length and its wording. An interesting read in terms of identifying the narrative and ecologically descriptive differences between this and The Pink Notebook. Overall, I think I prefer The Pink Notebook more only because this perspective being more in the perspective of the American naval officer is really horrifying and, to be honest, so so sad.

[Misa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a beautiful sad story that I wanted to read for such a long time. A story about a Japanese woman who fell in love with her American husband, she left everything for him either her religion or her family but then he went back to his country asking from her to wait for him. It's an opera like Carmen.

[sage · Rating 4 out of 5]

i loved this. i don't care what anyone says. the simplicity of this was weaved into complexity. a woman who waited confidently for her love. and a man who only wanted her for her beauty and innocence. i only feel bad for the son, because his mother picked his father over him.

[Shey]

italian and saw the opera

[Andrew Corsini · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful

[Marydale · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ugh. Why didn't I see this opera before moving to New York with "the love of my life." From Act I, the male protagonist is an international tail-chasing bachelor douche, and it only goes downhill from there. As is par for the course in both operas and the real world, the loving but sullied woman meets her unhappy end, and said dude in the picture goes about his usual life.

[Angie · Rating 1 out of 5]

Audio Book-
Ummm - boring

[Cece · Rating 4 out of 5]

beautiful

[Fredrick Danysh · Rating 2 out of 5]

A Japanese geshia becomes involved with an American military man in Japan. This is the story of their struggle for happiness.

[Kayla]

The idea of perfect woman....being a man. I quite enjoyed this play.

[Leniw · Rating 2 out of 5]

I cannot say that I was impressed by this play.
Maybe seeing it in the Opera will be different and more interesting.

[Lindsey · Rating 3 out of 5]

So sad!

[Renita · Rating 4 out of 5]

Suggested By: Going to watch this opera, so my own interest in the story.