Opera - Madam Butterfly

GIACOMO PUCCINI (1858-1924)

Madam Butterfly

137:10

Opera in two acts

Libretto by Giuseppe Giacosa and Luigi Illica after the book by John Luther Long and the play by David Belasco

English version based on that of R.H. Elkin

Act I

1

Introduction

1:05

2

'So the walls and the ceiling . . .'

2:06

Pinkerton, Goro

3

'I think Your Honour's smiling'

2:17

Suzuki, Pinkerton, Goro

4

'It can't be much further now!'

1:20

Sharpless, Goro, Pinkerton

5

'The whole world over'

2:22

6

'Fate can't crush him'

1:13

Pinkerton, Sharpless

7

'Is the bride very pretty?'

1:06

Sharpless, Goro, Pinkerton

8

'True love or fancy'

3:23

Pinkerton, Sharpless

9

'See them! They're climbing the summit of the hill!'

3:30

Goro, Butterfly's Girl Friends, Butterfly, Sharpless

10

'We are honoured'

3:34

Butterfly, Girl Friends, Pinkerton, Sharpless, Goro

11

'The Imperial Commissioner'

1:48

Goro, Pinkerton, Relations and Friends, Butterfly, Yakuside

12

'Oh, indeed, my friend, you're lucky!'

1:16

Sharpless, Butterfly

13

'Come, my beloved'

3:25

Pinkerton, Butterfly, Goro

14

'My fate I have to follow'

1:17

Butterfly

15

'Silence! Silence!'

1:52

Goro, Commissioner, Girl Friends, Butterfly

16

'Congratulations'

4:33

Commissioner, Pinkerton, Sharless, Registrar, Relatives, the Bonze, Goro

17

'Dearest, my dearest, weep no more'

2:06

Pinkerton, Butterfly, Suzuki

18

'Evening is falling . . .'

3:31

Pinkerton, Butterfly, Suzuki

19

'Child, from whose eyes the witchery is shining'

3:52

Pinkerton, Butterfly

20

'Ah, love me a little'

7:28

Butterfly, Pinkerton

Act II

Part 1

21

'Izaghi Izanami'

6:47

Suzuki, Butterfly

22

'One fine day'

4:35

Butterfly

23

'Come, let's enter'

4:22

Goro, Sharpless, Butterfly

24

'Yamadori, and has your unrequitted love not yet released you?'

4:53

Butterfly, Yamadori, Sharpless, Goro

25

'Now, at last!'

3:01

Sharpless, Butterfly

26

'Just two things I could do'

2:07

27

'This child! This child, then!'

3:24

Butterfly, Sharpless

28

'Do you know, my darling'

3:24

Butterfly

29

'I must be going'

1:43

Sharpless, Butterfly, Suzuki

30

'Ah! Ah!'

1:52

Goro, Suzuki, Butterfly

31

'Look, it's a man-of-war!'

2:33

Suzuki, Butterfly

32

Flower duet: 'Shake the cherry tree'

9:55

Butterfly, Suzuki

33

Humming Chorus

2:55

Act II

Part 2

34

Prelude

4:29

35

Daybreak over Nagasaki

2:52

36

'It's morning'

2:01

Suzuki, Butterfly

37

'Who is it? . . .'

2:42

Suzuki, Pinkerton, Sharples

38

'I know for such misfortune there is no consolation'

3:59

Sharpless, Suzuki, Pinkerton

39

'Farewell, oh happy home!'

1:51

Pinkerton, Sharpless

40

'Then will you tell her?'

1:19

Kate, Suzuki

41

'Suzuki, where are you?'

1:47

42

'You, Suzuki, you're always so faithful'

1:14

Butterfly, Suzuki

43

'Viper! I want you to answer'

3:40

Butterfly, Suzuki, Sharpless, Kate

44

'Your little fluttering heart is beating'

2:55

Suzuki, Butterfly

45

'Death with honour is better than life with dishonour'

5:04

Butterfly

Cheryl Barker soprano - Cio-Cio-San (Madam Butterfly)

Jean Rigby mezzo-soprano - Suzuki

Paul Charles Clarke tenor - B.F. Pinkerton

Gregory Yurisich baritone - Sharpless

Stuart Kale tenor - Goro

D'Arcy Bleiker baritone - Prince Yamadori

Clive Bayley bass - The Bonze

Simon Birchall bass - Yakuside

Roland Wood bass - The Imperial Commissioner

Frances Brett bass - The Official Registrar

Anne Sheridan Jinks soprano - Cio-Cio-San's mother

Paula Bott soprano - The Aunt

Ann Taylor mezzo-soprano - Kate Pinkerton

Cio-Cio-San's relations and friends and servants

Yves Abel

13-17 December 2000