
Madame Butterfly 1959
Cio-Cio-San’s poignant love…
…for Lt. Pinkerton is a soaring drama of passion and personal sacrifice. Puccini’s sensitive masterpiece of the clash between American and Japanese cultures is enhanced in the outdoor setting of Santa Fe – a tribute to the perfection of this unfaded favorite.
Synopsis
Act I
B.F. Pinkerton, a lieutenant in the U. S. Navy, is inspecting his new house, built on a hillside overlooking Nagasaki harbor. Goro, a marriage broker, has arranged the leasing of the house as well as the marriage of Pinkerton with Cio-Cio-San, a geisha, known as Madame Butterfly. The American consul, Sharpless, arrives for the marriage ceremony and warns Pinkerton that Butterfly may not take the marriage so lightly. Pinkerton admits that he does not regard the marriage contract as permanent, but is enchanted with Butterfly. Cio-Cio-San arrives with her friends and tells Pinkerton of her family, confesses that she has renounced her religion for his sake, and displays her few treasured possessions. The relatives arrive and the marriage ceremony begins. Festivities are interrupted by the girl’s uncle, the priestly Bonze, who curses her having deserted the religion of her ancestors. The members of the family quickly disperse, leaving Butterfly alone with Pinkerton. He dries her tears and takes her in his arms. As night descends and the stars appear, they sing of their love and slowly enter the house.
Act II
Three years have passed and Pinkerton has left Japan, promising to return. Despite the pleadings of Suzuki, her maid, Butterfly has not lost faith in his promise. She is visited by Sharpless and Goro who try to persuade her to wed the wealthy Prince Yamadori. Butterfly dismisses the suggestion as unworthy of an American wife. Sharpless begins to read a letter from Pinkerton, and when he hints that the lieutenant may never return, Butterfly shows him her son – Pinkerton’s son. The consul does not have the courage to tell her that Pinkerton has married again. He leaves without having finished the reading of the letter. The booming of the harbor cannon announces the arrival of a foreign ship. Breathless with excitement, Butterfly recognizes the ship as the Abraham Lincoln, Pinkerton’s ship. She and Suzuki gather flowers and strew them about the house. Then Butterfly dons her wedding gown and takes her position with Suzuki and the little boy to wait the arrival of her husband.
Act III
When the sun rises, Butterfly is still maintaining her vigil. At Suzuki’s insistence, she goes to rest, taking the child with her. Sharpless and Pinkerton enter and Suzuki soon realizes the entire situation. The remorseful Pinkerton learns of Butterfly’s faithfulness and bids an anguished farewell to the scene of his former happiness. As soon as he leaves, Butterfly rushes in. At first mystified by Suzuki’s attitude, she understands all when she sees Kate Pinkerton waiting in the garden. She agrees to give up her child if Pinkerton will return to get him in half an hour. When left alone, she takes up the dagger with which her father committed hari-kari. Suzuki pushes the little boy into the room in an effort to prevent the suicide, but Butterfly thrusts a toy American flag into his hands, retires behind a screen and stabs herself. She dies just as Pinkerton re-enters to take away his son.
Artists

Mildred Allen
Soprano
Madame Butterfly
Mildred Allen
Hometown: Mississippi
SFO Debut:
Madame Butterfly, Madame Butterfly, 1957 (August 22 – 28)
Past Seasons:
Mimi, La bohème, 1967 (July 29 – August 26)
Micaela, Carmen, 1967
Madame Butterfly, Madame Butterfly, 1965
Susanna, The Marriage of Figaro, 1965
Costanza, The Stag King, 1965
Zerlina, Don Giovanni, 1963
Madame Butterfly, Madame Butterfly, 1963
St. Margaret, Joan of Arc at the Stake, 1963
La Chauve-Souris/La Princesse, L’enfant et les sortilèges, 1963
Susanna, The Marriage of Figaro, 1960
Anne, The Rake’s Progress, 1960
Madame Butterfly, Madame Butterfly, 1959
Adele, Die Fledermaus, 1959 (June 24 – July 3)
Alexandra Giddens, Regina, 1959
Mimi, La bohème, 1958
Despina, Così fan tutte, 1958
Nanetta, Falstaff, 1958
Isabella, Wuthering Heights, 1958

Regina Sarfaty
Mezzo-soprano
Suzuki (July 8 - 17)
Regina Sarfaty
Hometown: Rochester, NY
SFO Debut:
Suzuki, Madame Butterfly, 1957
Past Seasons:
Agave, The Bassarids, 1968
Carmen, Carmen, 1967 (July 1 – 15)
Carmen, Carmen, 1961
Regina Giddens, Regina, 1959 (August 8)
Suzuki, Madame Butterfly, 1959 (July 8 – 17)
Prince Orlofsky, Die Fledermaus, 1959 (June 24 – July 3)
Jane Seymour, Anna Bolena, 1959
Nelly, Wuthering Heights, 1958
Mistress Meg Page, Falstaff, 1958
Dorabella, Così, fan tutte, 1958
Clairon, Capriccio, 1958
Tabitha, The Tower, 1957
Baba the Turk, The Rake’s Progress, 1957
Berta, The Barber of Seville, 1957
Dryad, Ariadne auf Naxos, 1957

Joan Caplan
Mezzo-soprano
Suzuki (July 25 - August 12)
Joan Caplan
Hometown: New York, NY
SFO Debut:
Suzuki, Madame Butterfly, 1959 (July 25 – August 12)
Santa Fe Opera Apprentice: 1958
Past Seasons:
Suzuki, Madame Butterfly, 1968 (August 15 – 31)
Beroe, The Bassarids, 1968
Berta, The Barber of Seville, 1959
Addie, Regina, 1959

Charles Anthony
Tenor
Pinkerton (July 8 - 17)
Charles Anthony
Hometown: New Orleans, LA
SFO Debut:
Alfred, Die Fledermaus, 1959 (June 24 – July 3)
Past Seasons:
Rodolfo, La bohėme, 1961
Pinkerton, Madame Butterfly, 1959 (July 8 – 17)
Count Almaviva, The Barber of Seville, 1959 (July 22 – 24)

Frank Porretta
Tenor
Pinkerton (July 25 - August 12)
Frank Porretta
Hometown: Detroit, MI
SFO Debut:
Lord Richard Percy, Anna Bolena, 1959
Past Seasons:
Belmonte, Abduction from the Seraglio, 1959
Leo Hubbard, Regina, 1959
Pinkerton, Madame Butterfly, 1959 (July 25 – August 12)

Robert Rue
Baritone
Sharpless (July 8 - 17)
Robert Rue
Hometown: Grand Rapids, MI
SFO Debut:
Sharpless, Madame Butterfly, 1957
Past Seasons:
Frank, Die Fledermaus, 1959
Sharpless, Madame Butterfly, 1959 (July 8 – 17)
Ben Hubbard, Regina, 1959
Olivier, Capriccio, 1958
Sir John Falstaff, Falstaff, 1958
Marcello, La bohėme, 1958
Music Master, Ariadne auf Naxos, 1957
Fiorello, The Barber of Seville, 1957
Nick Shadow, The Rake’s Progress, 1957
Reuel, The Tower, 1957

Robert Trehy
Baritone
Sharpless (July 25 - August 12)
Robert Trehy
Hometown: New York, NY
SFO Debut:
Marcello/ Schaunard, La bohėme, 1958
Past Seasons:
Count Almaviva, The Marriage of Figaro, 1961
Marcello, La bohėme, 1961
Horace Tabor, The Ballad of Baby Doe, 1961
Luiz, The Gondoliers, 1960 (June 22 – July 1)
Duke of Plaza-Toro, The Gondoliers, 1960 (July 16 – August 19)
Germont, La traviata, 1960 (June 29 – July 8)
Count Almaviva, The Marriage of Figaro, 1960
Dr. Falke, Die Fledermaus, 1959
Sharpless, Madame Butterfly, 1959 (July 25 – August 12)
Figaro, The Barber of Seville, 1959 (August 1 – 17)
Oscar Hubbard, Regina, 1959
The Count, Capriccio, 1958
Heathcliff, Wuthering Heights, 1958

Rolf Sander
Tenor
Goro
Rolf Sander
Hometown: Frankfurt, Germany
SFO Debut:
Bardolf, Falstaff, 1958
Past Seasons:
Valzacchi, Der Rosenkavalier, 1961
Alcindoro, La bohėme, 1961
Basilio, The Marriage of Figaro, 1961
Shepherd, Oedipus Rex, 1961
Gherardo, Gianni Schicchi, 1960
Basilio, The Marriage of Figaro, 1960
Shepherd, Oedipus Rex, 1960
Spoletta, Tosca, 1960
Lord Harvey, Anna Bolena, 1959
Fiorello, The Barber of Seville, 1959
Dr. Blind, Die Fledermaus, 1959
Goro, Madame Butterfly, 1959
Monsieur Taupe, Capriccio, 1958

Roy Lazarus
Bass
Bonze
Roy Lazarus
Hometown: Brooklyn, NY
SFO Debut:
Frosch, Die Fledermaus, 1959
Past Seasons:
Selim Pasha, Abduction from the Seraglio, 1959
Bonze, Madame Butterfly, 1959
Horace Giddens, Regina, 1959
Don Basilio, The Barber of Seville, 1959

Peter Binder
Baritone
Prince Yamadori
Peter Binder
Hometown: Philadelphia, PA
SFO Debut:
Prince Yamadori, Madame Butterfly, 1957
Past Seasons:
Dandini, Cinderella, 1960
Germont, La traviata, 1960 (July 20 – 30)
Giuseppe Palmiere, The Gondoliers, 1960
Figaro, The Barber of Seville, 1959 (July 22 – 24)
Prince Yamadori, Madame Butterfly, 1959
Rochford, Anna Bolena, 1959
Eisenstein, Die Fledermaus, 1959
Dandini, Cinderella, 1958
Ford, Falstaff, 1958
Guglielmo, Così fan tutte, 1958
Harlequin, Ariadne auf Naxos, 1957
Joash, The Tower, 1957
Figaro, The Barber of Seville, 1957
Guglielmo, Così fan tutte, 1957

Lou Rodgers
Mezzo-soprano
Kate Pinkerton
Lou Rodgers
Hometown: New York, NY
Santa Fe Opera Apprentice: 1958, 1959
Past Seasons:
Ida, Die Fledermaus, 1959
Kate Pinkerton, Madame Butterfly, 1959

John Crosby
Conductor
John Crosby
Hometown: New York, NY
SFO Debut:
Madame Butterfly, 1957
Past Seasons:
La traviata, 2002
The Egyptian Helen, 2001
Elektra, 2000
Countess Maritza, 1999
Ariadne auf Naxos, 1999
Madame Butterfly, 1998
Salome, 1998
La traviata, 1997
Arabella, 1997
Madame Butterfly, 1996
Daphne, 1996
Countess Maritza, 1995
Salome, 1995
Tosca, 1994 (July 1 – 15)
Intermezzo, 1994
La bohème, 1993 (July 2 – 16)
Capriccio, 1993
Die Fledermaus, 1992
Der Rosenkavalier, 1992
La traviata, 1991 (June 28 – July 6)
Die schweigsame Frau, 1991
La bohème, 1990
Ariadne auf Naxos, 1990
La traviata, 1989 (June 30 – July 12)
Der Rosenkavalier, 1989
Die Fledermaus, 1988
Feuersnot, 1988
Friedenstag, 1988
Madame Butterfly, 1987
Die schweigsame Frau, 1987
Die Fledermaus, 1986
The Egyptian Helen, 1986
Orpheus in the Underworld, 1985
Die Liebe der Danae, 1985
A Florentine Tragedy, 1984
Violanta, 1984
Intermezzo, 1984
Orpheus in the Underworld, 1983
Arabella, 1983
Die Fledermaus, 1982
Die Liebe der Danae, 1982
La bohème, 1981
Daphne, 1981
La traviata, 1980
Elektra, 1980
The Grand Duchesse of Gerolstein, 1979
Lucia di Lammermoor, 1979
Salome, 1979
Tosca, 1978
Salome, 1978
The Italian Straw Hat, 1977
Fedora, 1977
La traviata, 1976
Salome, 1976
Carmen, 1975
La bohème, 1974
The Grand Duchesse of Gerolstein, 1974
La bohème, 1973
The Merry Widow, 1973
The Grand Duchesse of Gerolstein, 1972
Madame Butterfly, 1972
Salome, 1972
Don Carlo, 1971
The Grand Duchesse of Gerolstein, 1971
La traviata, 1970
Anna Bolena, 1970
Tosca, 1969
Salome, 1969
Madame Butterfly, 1968
La traviata, 1968
Der Rosenkavalier, 1968
Carmen, 1967
La bohème, 1967
Tosca, 1966
Capriccio, 1966
Rigoletto, 1966
La traviata, 1965
Madame Butterfly, 1965
Arabella, 1965
Rigoletto, 1964
Daphne, 1964
La bohème, 1964 (August 22 & 28)
Die Fledermaus, 1963
Madame Butterfly, 1963
Der Rosenkavalier, 1963
Salome, 1962
Oedipus Rex, 1962 (and Director)
Perséphone, 1962
Tosca, 1962
Der Rosenkavalier, 1961
La bohème, 1961
The Gondoliers, 1960
Tosca, 1960
Die Fledermaus, 1959
Madame Butterfly, 1959
La bohème, 1958
Wuthering Heights, 1958
Capriccio, 1958

George Mully
Director
George Mully
Hometown: New York, NY
SFO Debut:
Die Fledermaus, 1959
Past Seasons:
Madame Butterfly, 1959

Patton Campbell
Costume Designer
Production Designer
Patton Campbell
Hometown: Omaha, NE
SFO Debut:
Madame Butterfly, 1957 (Scenic, Costume & Lighting Designer)
Past Seasons:
Tosca, 1969
Così fan tutte, 1969
Der Rosenkavalier, 1968
The Barber of Seville, 1967
The Rake’s Progress, 1966
The Barber of Seville, 1965
Così fan tutte, 1962 (Scenic & Costume Designer)
La bohème, 1961
The Rake’s Progress, 1960
Cinderella, 1960
Regina, 1959
The Barber of Seville, 1959
Abduction From the Seraglio, 1959 (Scenic, Costume & Lighting Designer)
Madame Butterfly, 1959 (Scenic, Costume & Lighting Designer)
Anna Bolena, 1959 (Scenic, Costume & Lighting Designer)
Die Fledermaus, 1959 (Scenic, Costume & Lighting Designer)
Capriccio, 1958 (Scenic, Costume & Lighting Designer)
Cinderella, 1958 (Scenic, Costume & Lighting Designer)
Wuthering Heights, 1958 (Scenic, Costume & Lighting Designer)
Falstaff, 1958 (Scenic, Costume & Lighting Designer)
Così fan tutte, 1958 (Scenic, Costume & Lighting Designer)
La bohème, 1958 (Scenic & Costume Designer)
Ariadne auf Naxos, 1957 (Scenic, Costume & Lighting Designer)
The Tower, 1957 (Scenic, Costume & Lighting Designer)
La serva padrona, 1957 (Scenic, Costume & Lighting Designer)
The Barber of Seville, 1957 (Scenic, Costume & Lighting Designer)
The Rake’s Progress, 1957 (Scenic, Costume & Lighting Designer)
Così fan tutte, 1957 (Scenic, Costume & Lighting Designer)

Margaret Hillis
Chorus Master
Margaret Hillis
Hometown: Kokomo, IN
SFO Debut:
Chorus Master, Die Fledermaus, 1959
Past Seasons:
Conductor, Regina, 1959
Chorus Master, Anna Bolena, 1959
Chorus Master, Madame Butterfly, 1959
Chorus Master, Abduction from the Seraglio, 1959
Chorus Master, The Barber of Seville, 1959
Madame Butterfly 1959
- Tours
- Transportation
- Dining
- Talk