Word: pinkertons
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...reads that infamous line from Puccini's opera Madame Butterfly, the story of an American naval officer, Benjamin Franklin (B.F.) Pinkerton, who abandons his Japanese wife, Cio-Cio San (Butterfly). The story, based on John Luther Longs novella, has been retold, again and again, in such productions as Broadways Miss Saigon and Gilbert and Sullivan's The Mikado. Most recently, BSO takes on a fully staged concert version of Puccini's opera at Symphony Hall, with the last and final performance this coming Saturday...
However, upon closer examination, the storydoesn't appear to be necessarily focused on theatrocities that Pinkerton enacts againstButterfly. Interestingly, Butterfly is neverreferred to as "Madame Pinkerton," except byherself, even after her marriage. Rather, as thetitle suggests, the story is perhaps moreevocative of CioCio San's rite of passage from"Butterfly" to "Madame Butterfly...
Thus, the role of Butterfly is crucial. Whenshe is first wed to Pinkerton, Butterfly is only15 years of age. This is not to say that she wascompletely naive of the world. Rather, as thestory goes, Butterfly is forced into geisha-hoodbecause of the poverty inflicted upon her familyafter her father's death. So on many levels, oneimportant challenge to the vocalist is thejuxtaposition of the innocent child and therealistic woman...
...Italian is vital to the fullenjoyment of the opera and perhaps even moreimportant in that scenario. Although an equalquality of clarity in comparison to CD studioversions cannot be justly expected, it was shownthat certain voices were more fully comprehendiblethan others. Unfortunately, the lead roles ofButterfly (Paula Delligatti) and Pinkerton (LuisLima) were more adept at singing passages drivenby emotive tendencies than they were at filling inall those passages of recitative (sung speech ordialogue). Recitative was a significant portion ofthe Act I where the single action of Pinkerton andButterfly's marriage span the duration ofapproximately one hour...
...decided to fight. She got injunctions in Germany, Italy and France to stop the sale of pirated designs. McCarthy flew to Thailand and hired Pinkerton detectives to find and close down the pirates. They could not do so completely because metal can be cast in too many places: somebody's backyard or even an open field...