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Madame Butterfly (Script)

The document provides a summary of Act I and Act II of the opera Madame Butterfly. In Act I, an American naval officer named Pinkerton marries a 15-year old Japanese girl named Cio-Cio San, also known as Butterfly, after only knowing her for one day. In Act II, which takes place 3 years later, Pinkerton returns to Japan with his new American wife. Butterfly, who has been faithfully waiting for his return, is devastated to learn he has married someone else and has a child he did not know about. Heartbroken, Butterfly commits suicide with her father's knife so her son can be raised instead by his American father.

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J Flores
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312 views6 pages

Madame Butterfly (Script)

The document provides a summary of Act I and Act II of the opera Madame Butterfly. In Act I, an American naval officer named Pinkerton marries a 15-year old Japanese girl named Cio-Cio San, also known as Butterfly, after only knowing her for one day. In Act II, which takes place 3 years later, Pinkerton returns to Japan with his new American wife. Butterfly, who has been faithfully waiting for his return, is devastated to learn he has married someone else and has a child he did not know about. Heartbroken, Butterfly commits suicide with her father's knife so her son can be raised instead by his American father.

Uploaded by

J Flores
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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madame butterfly

ACT I

[The action takes place in Nagasaki, Japan, in the early years of the 20th century.]

[The curtain rises on a simple room in a Japanese house, with shoji screens, through which a
garden can be seen. A little on the right is a small table covered with a white cloth, on which
stands a vase of flowers and a few books. To the left is a larger table covered with a red cloth,
on which there is a tea service.]

[The servant Suzuki enters, followed by Goro, the marriage broker.]

GORO
[To Suzuki] Tell me, what does the American officer want?

SUZUKI
He wants a Japanese wife.

GORO
[Happily] Ah! That's easy. I have some very good ones.

SUZUKI
[Smiling] He wants a real one.

GORO
[Disappointed] Oh. Then it's not so easy.

[The officer, Pinkerton, and the consul, Sharpless, enter.]

SHARPLESS
[Looking around] What a charming house!

GORO
[Bowing] Thank you.

PINKERTON
[To Sharpless] See, Sharpless, I've found my little house in Japan.

SHARPLESS
[Smiling] Yes, but remember, it's only for 999 years.

PINKERTON
[Laughing] That's long enough for me.
GORO
[To Pinkerton] May I present the ladies?

PINKERTON
[Interested] Ladies?

GORO
[Smiling] Yes, the ones you were asking about.

PINKERTON
[Smiling] Oh, yes.

[They go to the door on the left and bow to Butterfly, who enters.]

BUTTERFLY
[Smiling] Konnichiwa.

PINKERTON
[In Japanese] Konnichiwa.

BUTTERFLY
[In Japanese] You are American?

PINKERTON
[In Japanese] Yes.

BUTTERFLY
[In Japanese] I am very glad to see you.

PINKERTON
[In Japanese] Thank you. May I present my friend, the consul?

BUTTERFLY
[In Japanese] I am honored.

SHARPLESS
[Smiling] The honor is mine.

GORO
[To Pinkerton] Shall we go and see the rest of the house?

PINKERTON
[To Butterfly] Will you come with us?
BUTTERFLY
[Smiling] Yes.

[They go out, followed by Suzuki.]

SHARPLESS
[To Goro] She's very young.

GORO
[Smiling] Yes, but that's not a disadvantage in Japan.

SHARPLESS
[Shaking his head] I'm afraid it is in America.

[Butterfly and Pinkerton return.]

PINKERTON
[To Butterfly] How old are you?

BUTTERFLY
[Frightened] I am fifteen.

PINKERTON
[Surprised] Only fifteen?

BUTTERFLY
[Smiling] Is that too young?

PINKERTON
[Smiling] No, it's just right.

SHARPLESS
[To Butterfly] Do you have any family?

BUTTERFLY
[In Japanese] My family is very old and noble.

SHARPLESS
[Impressed] Really?

PINKERTON
[To Sharpless] She's perfect.
Curtain close

then OPEN
MARRIAGE between Pinkerton and cio cio San
Goro, Pinkerton,Cio Cio San,cio cio San uncle,friend and cousin
clapping happily.
CLOSE
Pinkerton leaves with Sharpless,with cio cio San outside the house beed her
farewell(crying).

THE CURTAIN CLOSE AGAIN

ACT II

[Three years have passed since the end of Act I. Butterfly is now living in poverty, but she still
believes that Pinkerton will return to her.]

SUZUKI
[Looking out the window] Look, Madame Butterfly, a ship has arrived.

BUTTERFLY
[Excited] Pinkerton! He's come back!

SUZUKI
[Cautioning her] It might not be him.

BUTTERFLY
[Confident] It is. I know it is.

[They wait anxiously for Pinkerton to arrive. When he does, he is not alone - he has brought his
new American wife, Kate. Kate didn't enter,she in in the garden]

SHARPLESS
[To Butterfly] I've brought him back.

BUTTERFLY
[Overjoyed] Pinkerton!

PINKERTON
[Guilty] Butterfly, I'm sorry.

BUTTERFLY
[Excited] Look! Look what you have missed!

[Pinkerton sees the baby and realizes he is the father.]

PINKERTON
[Overwhelmed] Butterfly, I didn't know.

[Kate entered breaking the scene]

BUTTERFLY
[In shock] Who is this woman?

PINKERTON
[Guilty] Butterfly, let me explain.

BUTTERFLY
[Angry] You lied to me! You said you would come back!

KATE
I'm really sorry butterfly,but Pinkerton and I will take your child

BUTTERFLY
[Sad] Can you leave us for a moment

KATE
[Nod]
Kate and Sharpless leaves the room

PINKERTON
[Sad] Please forgive me butterfly,but you can come with us

BUTTERFLY
[Resigned] It's too late now. You have a new wife and a new life. I have nothing.You can take
the baby with you, but I cannot follow you.

[Butterfly agrees to give up her son to Pinkerton and Kate, believing that they will give him a
better life. As they take Trouble away, Butterfly prepares the knife of her father,and orders
Suzuki to leave .

BUTTERFLY
[holding the knife]Die with honour, when it is impossible to live with honour.”

She is about to stab herself when Suzuki sends in Trouble. Butterfly drops the knife and
gathers the child in her arms, kissing him and urging him to remember his mother’s face (“Tu?
tu? tu?”). Tearfully saying goodbye and telling him to go play, she sits him by the door, places in
his hands an American flag and a toy, and blindfolds him. She then returns to the altar and stabs
herself.
Dying, she crawls toward the child, embraces him, and falls beside him as Pinkerton is heard
shouting for her. He and Sharpless rush into the room; Butterfly points to her child and dies as
Pinkerton falls, sobbing, to his knees. Sharpless takes the child into his arms and kisses him.

END…

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