Madama Butterfly (complete opera in 3 acts; original Standard Version orchestration) Cover Image

Madama Butterfly (complete opera in 3 acts; original Standard Version orchestration): Serious Opera, Full Orchestra Accompaniment, Score and Parts

$1,100.00 USD
$1,100.00 USD
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Madama Butterfly (complete opera in 3 acts; original Standard Version orchestration) Cover Image
Madama Butterfly (complete opera in 3 acts; original Standard Version orchestration): Serious Opera, Full Orchestra Accompaniment, Score and Parts

Madama Butterfly (complete opera in 3 acts; original Standard Version orchestration): Serious Opera, Full Orchestra Accompaniment, Score and Parts

By Giacomo Puccini, Libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa, based on the short story "Madame Butterfly" (1898) by John Luther Long

Item: 36-A455102
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Description
MADAMA BUTTERFLY, one of the most popular operas of Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924), is the story of the conflicting expectations of Lieutenant Pinkerton, an American naval officer, and Madame Butterfly (Cio-Cio San), who marry while Pinkerton is stationed in Nagasaki. Pinkerton intends to divorce Butterfly when he returns to the United States, but she believes that the marriage will last forever. When Pinkerton returns to Japan with his new wife Kate, Butterfly commits seppuku with her father’s knife after placing an American flag in the hand of her son. The opera contains one of the repertoire’s best known soprano arias, Un bel di, vedremo in which Butterfly longs for Pinkerton to return to Japan. The original premiere of a version in two acts on February 17, 1904 at La Scala in Milan was a disaster, resulting in Puccini withdrawing that version and substantially rewriting the opera. The second version was in three acts, and it premiered on May 28, 1904 in Brescia to much greater success. In 1906 and 1907, Puccini created a third and fourth version for the Metropolitan Opera in New York and for Paris respectively. Finally, again in 1907, Puccini made the final revisions to the opera for a fifth version, and this is the one most often performed today, referred to as the "Standard Version." Instrumentation: 3(3d.Picc).2+EH.2+BCL.2: 4.3.3+BTbn.0: Timp.Perc(6-7): Hp: Str(4-4-3-3-3 in set): Banda(Perc.(5).Viola d'amore): Vocal soli (14 roles, SSSAAATTTBBBBB): Chorus.

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Additional Details
Series: Kalmus Opera Library
Publisher: Keiser Productions, Inc.
UPC: 660355007859
SKU: 36-A455102
Instrumentation: 3(3d.Picc).2+EH.2+BCL.2: 4.3.3+BTbn.0: Timp.Perc(6-7): Hp: Str(4-4-3-3-3 in set): Banda(Perc.(5).Viola d'amore): Vocal soli (14 roles, SSSAAATTBBBBBB): Chorus

More about this title

About the Composer: Giacomo Puccini

Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924) stands as one of opera's most consistently performed composers, a distinction earned through his gift for melody and dramatic pacing. His operas center human emotion rather than abstract spectacle, making them vehicles for singers to reveal character through song. Puccini's orchestrations balance lyricism with color, supporting the voice without overwhelming it, and his harmonic language blends Italian tradition with impressionistic textures that were modern for his era.

Why we love this

Madama Butterfly remains a masterclass in how to build dramatic tension through music alone. The Standard Version represents Puccini's mature judgment about pacing and structure, refined after the opera's troubled premiere and subsequent revisions. Programming this work signals serious operatic intent while guaranteeing an audience that connects immediately to the music.

What to expect

Madama Butterfly moves between intimate vulnerability and overwhelming pathos. The music shifts from exoticism and pageantry in Act I to domestic longing in Act II, building inexorably toward tragedy. Puccini's melodies are instantly memorable yet sophisticated, pulling listeners toward the emotional core of a cross-cultural marriage destined to fail.

Who it's for

Opera companies and university music programs with full orchestral resources and strong vocal rosters. This version demands singers capable of sustaining Puccini's long melodic lines and an orchestra able to navigate his harmonic language with nuance.

How to get the most out of it

  • Balance the Japanese banda music in Act I against the Italian orchestration; the contrast is deliberate and should feel like two musical worlds colliding.
  • Give the final act space to breathe. The long silence before Butterfly's suicide is as important as any note Puccini wrote.
  • Watch the viola d'amore passages for color; this instrument appears specifically to evoke Japanese atmosphere and demands a soloist with a refined tone.
  • Coordinate the chorus entries carefully in Act II. They often underpin emotional climaxes rather than dominate them.

How to use it

This work anchors a full opera season, typically mounted as a spring or fall centerpiece. Pair it with shorter dramatic works if programming a festival, or stand it alone as the major production of the academic year. The three-act structure and substantial instrumental requirements make it a commitment that rewards thorough preparation.

Skills your students will build

  • Sustaining long vocal phrases over orchestral accompaniment
  • Navigating ensemble entries across multiple vocal and instrumental parts
  • Interpreting Puccini's harmonic language and impressionistic orchestration
  • Managing dramatic timing and pacing in multi-act operatic structure
  • Balancing Italian text delivery with lyrical melodic singing

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