Madama Butterfly. (Metropolitan Opera).

BROADCAST OF MARCH 30, 2002 SPONSORED BY CHEVRONTEXACO OVER THE CHEVRONTEXACO-METROPOLITAN OPERA INTERNATIONAL RADIO NETWORK, 1:30 P.M. MADAMA BUTTERFLY Music by Giacomo Puccini Libretto by Giuseppe Giacosa and Luigi Illica, based on a play by David Belasco

 
MADAMA BUTTERFLY 
 
THE CAST (in order of vocal appearance) 
 
Lt. B. F. Pinkerton      tenor, FABIO ARMILIATO 
Goro                     tenor, RICHARD FRACKER 
Suzuki                      mezzo, JANE BUNNELL 
Sharpless             baritone, WILLIAM SHIMELL 
Cio-Cio-San              soprano, DANIELA DESSI 
Imperial Commissioner       bass, ALFRED WALKER 
Registrar                tenor, MARTY SINGLETON 
Bonze                      bass, MICHAEL DEVLIN 
Prince Yamadori            bar., RICHARD HOBSON 
Kate Pinkerton         mezzo, REVEKA MAVROVITIS 
Cio-Cio-San's Child          actor, JESSE DEMBO 
 
Conducted by MARCO ARMILIATO 
 
Production: Giancarlo del Monaco 
Set and costume designer: Michael Scott 
Stage director: Yefim Maizel 
Chorus master: Raymond Hughes 
Musical preparation: Robert Myers, 
  Donna Racik, Steven Eldredge, 
  Scott Bergeson 
Assistant stage directors: 
  Marc Astafan, Paul Mills 
Prompter: Donna Racik 
Japanese movement consultant: 
  Saeko Ichinohe 
 
Production a gift of the Gramma Fisher 
  Foundation, Marshalltown, Iowa 
Additional funding from The Rose and 
  Robert Edelman Foundation and 
  Mr. and Mrs. Paul M. Montrone 
Revival a gift of the Jane W. Nuhn 
  Charitable Trust 
 
THE SCENES                      Timings (ET) 
  (Nagasaki, early 20th c.) 
ACT I                              1:30-2:19 
  Garden overlooking harbor 
ACT II                             2:53- 
  Cio-Cio-San's house, three years later 
ACT III                                -4:13 
  The same, the following dawn 
 
Announcer: Peter Allen 
Audio director: Jay David Saks 
 
INTERMISSION FEATURE 
 
Producer: Michael Bronson             Timing 
Interview with special guest       2:19-2:53 
  to be announced 
Martin Bernheimer pays tribute 
  to Edward Downes 
 
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THE STORY

ACT I. On a flowering terrace above Nagasaki harbor, U.S. Navy lieutenant B. F. Pinkerton inspects the house he has leased from a marriage broker, Goro, who has procured him servants and a geisha wife, Cio-Cio-San, known as Butterfly. The American consul, Sharpless, arrives, and Pinkerton describes the carefree philosophy of a sailor roaming the world in search of pleasure ("Dovunque al mondo"). At the moment, he is enchanted with the fragile Cio-Cio-San, but the 999-year marriage contract Goro has arranged contains a monthly renewal option. When Sharpless warns that the girl may not take her vows so lightly, Pinkerton brushes aside such scruples, saying he will one day marry a "real" American wife. Cio-Cio-San is heard in the distance joyously singing of her wedding ("Spira sul mare"). Entering surrounded by friends, she tells Pinkerton about her background; she belongs to an honorable family, but when they fell on hard times, she had to earn her living as a geisha. Her relatives bustle in, noisily expressing their opinions on the marriage. In a quiet moment, Cio-Cio-San shows her bridegroom her few earthly treasures, among them the dagger with which her father committed hara-kiri, and tells Pinkerton she intends to embrace his Christian faith. The Imperial Commissioner performs the wedding ceremony, and the guests toast the couple. The celebration is interrupted by Cio-Cio-San's uncle, a Buddhist monk, who bursts upon the scene, cursing the girl for renouncing her ancestors' religion. Pinkerton angrily sends the guests away. Alone with Cio-Cio-San in the moonlit garden, he dries her tears, and she joins him in singing of their love ("Viene la sera").

ACT II. Three years later, Cio-Cio-San awaits her husband's return. As Suzuki prays to ...