‘Madame Butterfly’
as viewed by those who’ve alighted on the role
Cio Cio San, the heroine of “Madame Butterfly,” is one of the most beloved characters of the performing arts world, thanks partly to the rapturous Giacomo Puccini score through which her story unfolds.
In opera and ballet, the Japanese geisha seems in some ways a very modern woman, abandoning her faith and family to marry the American officer she loves. But her story turns tragic because she waits — and waits and waits — for him to return, spurning the advances of a prince, only to discover she and her love child have been betrayed.
Does that make her timeless or old-fashioned? With Houston Ballet set to perform Stanton Welch’s production of “Madame Butterfly” this week and next, we asked three strong artists who have portrayed Cio Cio San how they make the character relevant to contemporary audiences. YURIKO KAJIYA
Houston Ballet principal Kajiya is scheduled to perform the role of Cio Cio San on Thursday.
What Cio-Cio San decided in the end is hard for people now to understand. But it is a fictional human story. Emotion is what makes this story — the love, the betrayal and the hope. You can relate to the story in some way.
This is humanity. That is why this story has lasted, and audiences are still affected by the outcome. VICKI ATTARD
Former Australian Ballet principal artist Attard originated the role of Cio-Cio San in Welch’s “Madame Butterfly” in 1995. She is currently the interim director for the Houston Ballet Academy.
Cio Cio San is by far the gentlest of heroines, although she demonstrates a fierce inner strength. She is sustained by her commitment and loyalty to Pinkerton. Fueled by unwavering hope, she simply refuses for the longest time to believe that her true love has abandoned her
There is no doubt that elements of the “Madame Butterfly” synopsis are relatable to today’s society — blind commitment, devastating betrayal, desertion without communication, renouncement of faith and ultimate suicide. All effects that still occur today, although hopefully not a combination of all of them.
In one of the most rapturous moments in the score, Butterfly pleads, “Love me, please” and tells Pinkerton that she had heard that overseas, a man would catch a butterfly and pin its wings to a table. Cio Cio San is begging to be pinned to a table by Pinkerton, so that she can’t fly away, which ultimately leads to her tragic demise. This is the scene of one single night of romance with her beloved, and also a combination of soul-lifting music and breathtaking choreography. ANA MARIA MARTÍNEZ
Grammy Award-winning soprano Martínez has performed as Cio Cio San all over the world, including London’s Royal Opera House. She returns to Houston Oct. 28-Nov. 11 in “Faust.”
Cio Cio San is very true to herself. She has a boundless courage that we see throughout the piece; first marrying an American man, renouncing her faith, family and culture to prove to him that she will be like him, adopting his religious beliefs and customs gladly.
I don’t see that she is forced to wait for Pinkerton out of being a victim of her culture and time. She waits for him out of her steadfast love, devotion and promise to him. Because she wants and chooses to wait for him. For her, there is no other choice. Her fierce courage is met by her unrelenting love and faith in that love.
She is, however, a victim of Pinkerton’s deceit, which is quite different than being a victim of her culture and time.
In Puccini’s opera, in Act II, the Japanese society, represented by the character of Goro, is quite shocked that she is still waiting for Pinkerton after his three-year absence. In Japanese society, a woman who is perceived to have been abandoned by her husband is equivalent to being divorced. Goro and Sharpless cannot understand why she does not accept that fate and marry Prince Yamadori, who has been pursuing Cio Cio San for quite some time.
To make her relevant is to tell her story in the most honest, simplest way. It is all about deep love, hope and devotion. And the ultimate sacrifice which she courageously chooses — to set her child free of any emotional chain or possible future feelings of guilt that could keep him from living his life freely and fully.
I think that deep down inside, we can all see her as a woman possessing the traits of strength and courage we would wish to have in ourselves, and that we would wish to experience in a partner and even in a parent.