METROPOLITAN OPERA BROADCASTS: MADAMA
BUTTERFLY, PT. 1 {ACTS II AND III} (RADIO)
Summary
Continued from R86:1041. Part two of two. One in this
series of performances by the Metropolitan Opera. In
this program, the Metropolitan Opera performs Puccini's
"Madama Butterfly," in Italian. In this part, as Act II
continues, Suzuki, Cho-Cho San's servant, sees
Pinkerton's boat in the harbor, and the deliriously
happy Cho-Cho San prepares for his arrival. This act
concludes with the famous "Humming Chorus." In Act III,
after Cho-Cho San has waited all night for Pinkerton's
arrival, Suzuki sends her to rest. Before long
Pinkerton and Sharpless are greeted by Suzuki alone, who
is introduced to Kate, Pinkerton's new wife. Filled
with despair, she reluctantly agrees to help break the
news to Cho-Cho San. Pinkerton, overcome with
remorse, bids farewell to the scene of his former
happiness and rushes away. Suddenly, Cho-Cho San
appears expecting to find him but sees Kate instead.
Instantly she realizes the awful truth. Overwhelmed
with grief, she agrees to turn over her son to
Pinkerton. She orders Suzuki to leave, and tearfully
sobbing a farewell to her son, she sends him into the
garden to play. Then, hiding behind a screen, Madama
Butterfly stabs herself to death as Pinkerton's voice is
heard in the distance calling her name.
(Network affiliation varies; as above, 1945-1958; NBC,
1931-1943; Blue Network, 1943-1945; CBS, 1958-1960;
in syndication, 1960 to the present.)
Details
- NETWORK: ABC
- DATE: January 19, 1946 2:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:46:00
- COLOR/B&W: N/A
- CATALOG ID: R86:1041
- GENRE: Radio - Music
- SUBJECT HEADING: Operas
- SERIES RUN: ABC - Radio series, 1945-1958
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Giacomo Puccini … Composer
- Pietro Cimara … Conductor
- Kurt Adler … Chorus Master
- James Melton … Cast, Lt. B.F. Pinkerton, Singer
- De Paolis, Alessio … Cast, Goro, Singer
- John Brownlee … Cast, U.S. Consul Sharpless, Singer
- Lucielle Browning … Cast, Suzuki, Singer
- Licia Albanese … Cast, Cho-Cho San, Singer
- Osie Hawkins … Cast, Priest (The Bonze, Cho-Cho San's uncle), Singer
- John Baker … Cast, Imperial Commissioner, Singer
- George Cehanovsky … Cast, Yamadori, Singer
- Maxine Stellman … Cast, Kate Pinkerman, Singer