Madama Butterfly's musical secrets uncovered with Antonio Pappano (The Royal Opera)

Music Director of The Royal Opera Antonio Pappano explores the score of Puccini's Madama Butterfly with the help of soprano Ermonela Jaho. Find out more at www.roh.org.uk/butterfly
Giacomo Puccini was entranced by David Belasco’s play Madame Butterfly (based on a popular short story by John Luther Long) when he saw it in London in 1900. He harnessed the talents of librettists Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa (with whom Puccini had created La bohème and Tosca) to adapt Cio-Cio-San’s tragic tale for the operatic stage. Although the premiere at La Scala, Milan, in 1904 was poorly received, that same year Puccini revised and restaged the opera for performances in Brescia, to great acclaim. Madama Butterfly quickly became a hugely popular opera with performers and audiences alike, and remains one of Puccini’s most performed works.
Puccini drew on Japanese folk melodies for the score, one of his most evocative and atmospheric. In Act I, Cio-Cio-San expresses her radiant happiness in ‘Ancora un passo’, and the two lovers rapturously declare their love for each other in the passionate duet ‘Viene la sera’. In Act II the mood becomes increasingly strained, as in ‘Un bel dì vedremo’ when Cio-Cio-San longs for the ‘fine day’ when her husband will return to her. The romantic exoticism of 19th-century European images of Japan - an integral part of Madama Butterfly’s character - inspire Moshe Leiser and Patrice Caurier’s elegant production for The Royal Opera.

[@Galastel]

It's beautiful how Pappano can draw an excellent singer to greater artistic heights. I love how this video showcases what makes a great conductor.

[@justinekim8744]

When she sang Un bel di, she gave me goosebumps. She's fantastic

[@politanene]

This opera makes me cry, every time I hear it. Marvelous piece of art. Bravo!

[@vinoveritas4921]

Me too.

[@domenicgattellaro3708]

Puccini knows how to get in the core of the heart thank you Antonio for sharing with us

[@lyndahillyer5651]

Wonderful to hear and see these two incomparable artists working together

[@alexeiderperezhernandez461]

Oh my God, this woman is magic, such an artist

[@daffo595]

That red coat is so cool

[@pedinurse1]

This woman has a phenomenal voice

[@hokulealinda]

Spectacular !! XOxoxox

[@debrayianni1705]

A slice of heaven.

[@loudspeakers3469]

This video is great. It made me appreciate the music more

[@maryyueil]

Beautiful Un Bel Di.

[@alinatahir6476]

This was a year ago. But does anyone know where I can get my hands on this production???

[@marcellomanfredibassi6650]

in the garbage

[@thesaucegroup1877]

@@marcellomanfredibassi6650 shut up and get lost

[@marcellomanfredibassi6650]

@@thesaucegroup1877 ma wat

[@Miyoshi186]

She is not too leggiera for sing butterfly???

[@clarkepaul837]

YES.......SOMEHOW.......BUT NOWADAYS EVRYBODY FEELS THE RIGHT OF DOING WHATEVER THEY WANT.....ANYTHING MATTERS......

[@bloodredlegions1953]

That’s my uncle

[@lukebannister828]

who? Pappano