Madama Butterfly - Production History

Production History

Puccini wrote five versions of the opera. The original version was in two acts and had its premiere on February 17, 1904, at La Scala in Milan. After a disastrous premiere, Puccini withdrew the opera and substantially rewrote it, this time in three acts. This second version was performed on May 28, 1904, in Brescia, where it was a great success. It was this second version that premiered in the United States in 1906, first in Washington, D.C., in October, and then in New York in November, by Henry Savage's New English Opera Company (so named because it performed in English-language translations).

In 1906, Puccini wrote a third version, which was performed at the Metropolitan Opera in New York. In 1907, Puccini made several changes in the orchestral and vocal scores, and this became the fourth version, which was performed in Paris.

Finally in 1907, Puccini made his final revisions to the opera in a fifth version, which has become known as the "standard version". Today, the standard version of the opera is the version most often performed around the world. However, the original 1904 version is occasionally performed as well.