Due to financial difficulties, the family sends the six-year-old girl Cio-Cio San to a school for geishas. At the age of 15, she and her house are introduced as a bride to the young American naval lieutenant Pinkerton, who has come to Nagasaki to protect a merchant ship. A hot, sexual adventure far away from home begins for the adolescent Pinkerton. For Cio-Cio San, the encounter is the ticket to freedom. She is determined to become the best American woman ever. She gives up her religion even before the wedding, which is why her family rejects her. The teenagers romp and try out sex in whatever time they have left. Because soon Pinkerton is called back to America. Although he is in love with Cio-Cio San, he cannot imagine taking her to America as his wife. He does not trust her with the status of a US citizen. However, he lets her believe that he will come back soon and continues to finance the house. In Zacek's interpretation, pregnant Cio-Cio San throws herself into American Studies. In the years to come, she learns everything about appearance, language, fashion, movement with the help of the domestic worker Suzuki, who is always by her side. She also studies American literature. She reads feminist texts by Judith Butler, Audre Lord, Simone de Beauvoir and raises the child together with Suzuki. After three years, those around her no longer believe in Pinkerton's return. A rich Japanese man is already courting the beautiful Cio-Cio San, who, however, is sticking to her faith and her marriage. come back soon and continue to finance the house. In Zacek's interpretation, pregnant Cio-Cio San throws herself into American Studies. In the years to come, she learns everything about appearance, language, fashion, movement with the help of the domestic worker Suzuki, who is always by her side. She also studies American literature. She reads feminist texts by Judith Butler, Audre Lord, Simone de Beauvoir and raises the child together with Suzuki. After three years, those around her no longer believe in Pinkerton's return. A rich Japanese man is already courting the beautiful Cio-Cio San, who, however, is sticking to her faith and her marriage. come back soon and continue to finance the house. In Zacek's interpretation, pregnant Cio-Cio San throws herself into American Studies. In the years to come, she learns everything about appearance, language, fashion, movement with the help of the domestic worker Suzuki, who is always by her side. She also studies American literature. She reads feminist texts by Judith Butler, Audre Lord, Simone de Beauvoir and raises the child together with Suzuki. After three years, those around her no longer believe in Pinkerton's return. A rich Japanese man is already courting the beautiful Cio-Cio San, who, however, is sticking to her faith and her marriage. all about looks, language, fashion, movement. She also studies American literature. She reads feminist texts by Judith Butler, Audre Lord, Simone de Beauvoir and raises the child together with Suzuki. After three years, those around her no longer believe in Pinkerton's return. A rich Japanese man is already courting the beautiful Cio-Cio San, who, however, is sticking to her faith and her marriage. all about looks, language, fashion, movement. She also studies American literature. She reads feminist texts by Judith Butler, Audre Lord, Simone de Beauvoir and raises the child together with Suzuki. After three years, those around her no longer believe in Pinkerton's return. A rich Japanese man is already courting the beautiful Cio-Cio San, who, however, is sticking to her faith and her marriage.
When Pinkerton found out about his child, he set off for Nagasaki with his new wife Kate to bring him to America. However, out of shame and cowardice, Pinkerton does not speak to Cio-Cio San personally, but only involves Suzuki in the project. She happily awaits his arrival by ship to meet him as the perfect American, but all she meets is Kate, standing in front of her like her own reflection. Cio-Cio San is desperate. Why isn't she enough by herself as an American woman? ...
Throughout his life, Puccini called Madama Butterfly his favorite and also his best work. In fact, it corresponds to his self-chosen maxim of the "music of small things" almost masterfully. Enchanting melodies, unobtrusively integrated exotic elements and a sensitive mixture of timbres in the orchestra have not only made the work immortal for the audience. However, the success of Puccini's »Tragedy of a Japanese Woman« came hesitantly: after the unfortunate course of the premiere in 1904, the composer revised the score several times before the opera was recognized as a masterpiece.
In her production Madame Butterfly, Angelika Zacek questions the way women are treated and their position in the world. But she also looks at the role of the family, society and education. What does multiple discrimination do to people? What is the meaning of poverty and wealth? The result is a moving and touching evening of opera that takes a new look at the classic.
