Selections from the Madama Butterfly libretto by Illica and Giacosa

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MADAMA BUTTERFLY
Resource Page for Classroom Activity
Romantic Misunderstandings
Selections from the Madama Butterfly libretto by Illica and Giacosa,
providing context for key quotations
Dovunque al mondo lo Yankee
vagobondo si gode…La vita ei non appaga se
non fa suo tesor i fiori d’ogni plaga, d’ogni bella
gli amor.
Everywhere in the world, the Yankee roams...To make
his life worth living, he must pluck and possess the
flowers of each region and the love of every beauty...
Cosi mi sposo all’uso giapponese
per novecento novantanove anni, Salvo a
prosciogliermi ogni mese.
In Japanese fashion, I’ll be married for nine hundred
ninety-nine years. But I can cancel at any month along
the way.
PINK ER TON:
Sareste addirittura cotto?
Non so! Dipende dal grado di cottura.
Amore o grillo dir non saprei.
Don’t tell me you really love her?
I don’t know! It depends on what you mean by “love”.
It may be love or it may be a fancy.
Non c’è gran male s’io vo’ quell’ale
drizzare ai dolci voli dell’amor
There’ll be no harm done if I have my way and teach
those tender wings the flights of love.
Bevo alla vostra famiglia lontana.
E al giorno in cui mi sposerò con vere
nozze, a una vera sposa americana.
Let’s drink to your faraway family.
And to the day when I marry, in a real wedding, a real
American wife.
I’er l’altro, il Consolato sen’ venne a
visitar! Io non la vidi, ma l’udii parlar. Di sua
voce il mistero l’anima mi colpì. Certo quando è
sincero l’amor parla così. Sarebbe gran peccato
le lievi ali strappar e desolar forse un credulo
cuor.
The other day, she came up to call at the Consulate! I
did not see her, but I heard her speak. The mystery of
her voice touched my soul. Surely, love that is pure and
true speaks like that. It would be a great pity to tear
those delicate wings and perhaps break a trusting heart.
È un po’ dura la scalata?
A una sposa costumata più penosa è
l’impazienza.
PINK ER TON: Molto raro complimento.
Was the climb up the hill a bit difficult?
For a bride, the waiting is more painful.
What a nice compliment!
E se a voi sembran scede il
pattto e la sua fede. Badate! Ella ci crede.
If this contract and her faith seem to you to be folly,
I warn you! She trusts you.
Io seguo il mio destino e piena
d'umiltà al Dio del signor Pinkerton m'inchino.
È mio destino. Per me spendeste cento yen, ma
vivrò con molta economia. E per farvi contento
potrò quasi obliar la gente mia.
I follow my destiny, and full of humility I bow before
the God of Mr. Pinkerton. It is my destiny. You spent
a hundred yen for me, but I will take care to be very
frugal. And to please you, I am almost prepared to
abandon my own people.
1 (AC T I)
PINK ER TON:
2 (AC T I)
PINK ER TON:
3 (AC T I)
4 (AC T I)
5 (AC T I)
SHAR PLESS:
PINK ER TON:
SHAR PLESS:
PINK ER TON:
6 (AC T I)
7 (AC T I)
SHAR PLESS:
PINK ER TON:
CIO - CIO -SAN:
8 (AC T I)
9 (AC T I)
24
SHAR PLESS ( TO PINK ER TON):
CIO - CIO -SAN:
10 (AC T II)
Chiedo scusa…Madama Butterfly…
Madama Pinkerton. Prego.
Excuse me, I’m looking for Madame Butterfly.
Madame Pinkerton, please.
CIO - CIO -SAN:
Mi ravvisate?
Ben venuto in casa americana
You remember me?
You are welcome in this American home.
Caro: come ti chiamano?
AXb_^]SX)>VVXX[\X^]^\TÌ3^[^aT
Pero dite al babbo, scrivendogli, che il giorno
del suo ritorno, Gioia, Gioia mi chiamerò.
Darling boy, what do they call you?
Answer him: “Today my name is Trouble. But write to
my father and tell him that the day of his return, Joy,
Joy, will be my name.”
Con onor muore
chi non può serbar vita con onore.
Let one who cannot live with honor, die with honor.
PINK ER TON ( TO CIO - CIO -SAN): Tutta la tua tribù e i
Bonzi tutti del Giappone non valgono il pianto
di quegli occhi cari e belli.
Your whole tribe and all the Bonzos of Japan are not
worth a tear from those dear, beautiful eyes.
Stolta paura, l'amor non uccide ma dà
vita, e sorride per gioie celestiali
Don’t be afraid. Love does not kill—it’s life itself, and it
shines with heavenly joys.
SHAR PLESS:
CIO - CIO -SAN:
11 (AC T II)
12 (AC T II)
SHAR PLESS:
SHAR PLESS:
CIO - CIO -SAN:
13 (AC T III)
14 (AC T I)
CIO - CIO -SAN:
15 (AC T I)
PINK ER TON:
16 (AC T I)
PINK ER TON:
Sei mia.
Io t'ho ghermita…Ti serro palpitante.
I’ve caught you. I hold you tight as you flutter. You are
mine.
Mai non s'è udito di straniero marito che
sia tornato al suo nido.
CIO - CIO -SAN: Ah! Taci, o t’uccido.
But I’ve never heard of a husband from abroad who
returned to his nest.
Ah, quiet!—or I’ll kill you!
Quando fanno il lor nido in America i
pettirossi?
SHAR PLESS: Come dite?
CIO - CIO -SAN: Sì,…prima o dopo di qui?
SHAR PLESS: Ma… perchè?…
CIO - CIO -SAN: Mio marito m'ha promesso di ritornar
nella stagion beata che il pettirosso rifà la
nidiata. Qui l’ha rifatta per ben tre volte, ma
può darsi che di là usi nidiar men spesso…
SHAR PLESS: Mi rincresce, ma ignoro… Non ho
studiato ornitologia.
When do robins in America build their nests?
Excuse me?
Sooner than here, or later?
But, why?
My husband promised me to return in that happy
season when the robin rebuilds its nest. Here, they’ve
rebuilt them three times already, but perhaps over
there they do it less often....
I’m sorry, but I don’t know. I haven’t studied
ornithology.
…per la moglie, l'abbandono al divorzio
equiparò…
For women, being abandoned by their husband
amounts to divorce.
17 (AC T II)
SUZUK I:
18
CIO - CIO -SAN:
19
GORO:
20
PINK ER TON ( WR ITING TO SHAR PLESS):
quel bel fior di fanciulla.”
“Amico, cercherai
My friend, seek out that beautiful flower
of a girl.
25
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MADAMA BUTTERFLY
Resource Page for Classroom Activity
Romantic Misunderstandings
What B.F. Pinkerton says and hears…and what he thinks
Pinkerton remarks, unheard by Cio-Cio-San
QUOTATION
WHAT CIO-CIO-SAN WOULD
NUMBER
PINKERTON SAYS:
1
he must pluck and possess the flowers
2
nine hundred ninety-nine years. But I can
cancel
3
It depends on what you mean by “love”.
4
teach those tender wings the flights of
love
5
a real wedding, a real American wife
WHAT HE’S THINKING
THINK IF SHE HEARD HIM
WHAT THE PERSON MEANS
PINKERTON’S REACTION
Remarks that Pinkerton hears
QUOTATION
NUMBER
WHAT THE PERSON SAYS:
6
Sharpless tells him, “Surely, love that is
pure and true speaks like that. It would
be a great pity to tear those delicate
wings and perhaps break a trusting
heart.”
7
Cio-Cio-San tells him, “For a bride, the
waiting is more painful.”
8
Sharpless tells him,” If this contract and
her faith seem to you to be folly, I warn
you! She trusts you.”
9
Cio-Cio-San tells him, “You spent a
hundred yen for me, but I will take care
to be very frugal. And to please you,
I am almost prepared to abandon my
own people.”
26
THE METROPOLITAN OPERA: LIVE IN HD
MADAMA BUTTERFLY
Resource Page for Classroom Activity
Romantic Misunderstandings
What Cio-Cio-San says and hears…and what she thinks
Cio-Cio-San remarks, unheard by Pinkerton
QUOTATION
WHAT PINKERTON WOULD
NUMBER
CIO-CIO-SAN SAYS:
10
Madame Pinkerton, please.
11
You are welcome in this American home.
12
Joy, Joy, will be my name
13
Let one who cannot live with honor, die
with honor.
WHAT SHE’S THINKING
THINK IF HE HEARD HER
WHAT THE PERSON MEANS
CIO-CIO-SAN’S INTERPRETATION
Remarks that Cio-Cio-San hears
QUOTATION
NUMBER
WHAT THE PERSON SAYS:
14
Pinkerton tells her, “not worth a tear from
those dear, beautiful eyes.”
15
Pinkerton tells her, “Love does not
kill—it’s life itself.”
16
Pinkerton tells her, “You are mine.”
17
Suzuki tells her, “I’ve never heard of a
husband from abroad who returned to
his nest.”
18
Sharpless tells her, “I haven’t studied
ornithology.”
19
Goro tells her, “For women, being
abandoned by their husband amounts to
divorce.”
20
Pinkerton writes, in his letter to Sharpless,
“that beautiful flower of a girl.”
27