Madama Butterfly

ACT I

Nagasaki, Japan, late 1946 — over a aa year after the atomic bomb, amid the haunting aftermath of World War II.

U.S. Navy Lieutenant B.F. Pinkerton surveys a house overlooking Nagasaki harbor, arranged through the slick dealings of marriage broker Goro. Pinkerton, taken by the delicate allure of Cio-Cio-San, shrugs off the seriousness of their union—driven by the unchecked entitlement of postwar American power. Cio-Cio-San, having survived the atomic devastation, clings to her wedding as a doorway to the American Dream. Despite her uncle’s thunderous denunciation—prompting her family’s abandonment—she enters the marriage full of hope. In a fleeting moment of intimacy, Pinkerton and Cio-Cio-San forge a connection that seems to transcend the ruins of war.

ACT II

Warly 1953, on the eve of the Allied Occupation’s withdrawal.

Cio-Cio-San and her loyal maid, Suzuki, wait anxiously for Pinkerton’s return as their resources dwindle and illusions fray. Sharpless, burdened by a hesitant letter from Pinkerton, delivers a sobering truth to the steadfast Cio-Cio-San. Rejecting offers from wealthy suitors like Prince Yamadori, she presents her young son, Sorrow, as proof of her unwavering faith in Pinkerton and the promise of her American Dream. Just as despair tightens its grip, a cannon fires—Pinkerton’s ship has arrived. Overcome with joy, she grabs a pair of binoculars to confirm the vision. With fierce determination, she orders Suzuki to fill the house with flowers in preparation for his return. As night falls, the three begin their quiet vigil—a scene of fragile hope suspended in uncertainty.

ACT III

The following day.

At dawn, shattered dreams come into focus. Pinkerton arrives—with his American wife, Kate. Suzuki’s heartbreak is immediate; the truth must now reach Cio-Cio-San. Confronted by betrayal, she realizes she was never meant to be “American enough.” Left alone, she protects her son from her fate and faces the collapse of her dream with grace. In a final act of quiet strength, she embraces death with the dignity of her heritage—liberating herself from the delusion and heartbreak.