Kirin Ichiban

The Tale

Whilst stationed in Nagasaki during 1904, US Naval Officer Lieutenant Pinkerton, marries a young Japanese girl called Cio-Cio-San(Madama Butterfly). Under his influence she relinquishes all ties to her family, friends and ultimately her faith. Madama Butterfly allows herself to fall in love, but Lieutenant Pinkerton views the marriage purely as a convenience and once his assignment is complete, he leaves Japan and his wife to return home to the U.S. Despite three years passing by, Madama Butterfly refuses to believe that she has seen Lieutenant Pinkerton for the last time and has since given birth to his son, naming him “trouble”, but intending to change his name to “Joy” once reunited with her husband.

Lieutenant Pinkerton finally returns to Japan on hearing that he has a child, but Madama Butterfly’s excitement immediately turns to tragedy when she realises that Lieutenant Pinkerton has remarried and only returned to collect his child with his new wife.

Background to the tale

It is believed that the tale is based on the founder of the Kirin Brewery and the “father of Japanese industry”, Sir Thomas Blake Gover. Whilst the life of Sir Thomas Blake did not mirror that of Lieutenant Pinkerton, there are strong similarities:

Sir Thomas Blake Glover’s home stands on a hillside overlooking the coast and in Madama Butterfly, Lieutenant Pinkerton’s home overlooked Nagasaki harbour. For many years, Sir Thomas Blake Glovers’ home was actually known as the House of Madama Butterfly.

During 1867 Sir Thomas married his Japanese wife Tsuru, she was referred to as “Ocho-San” because of the butterfly motif on her kimono. The tale tells us how Lieutenant Pinkerton also married a Japanese girl, this time called “Cho-Cho San" and the opera refers to her as “Madama Butterfly”.

Tsuru, the wife of Sir Thomas had been obliged, at the age of only 17 to divorce her first husband due to political differences between the two families, she therefore became separated from her baby daughter, Sen. Lieutenant Pinkerton forces Madama Butterfly to relinquish all ties with her family and friends, believing that her marriage is genuine, she falls in love.

Sir Thomas fathered children from four other women and adopted his son, with his wife Tsuru, from his mistress, a geisha girl called Kaga Mak. Lieutenant Pinkerton did re-marry and returned to Japan with his new wife to collect his son, leaving Madama Butterfly all alone.

Kirin Ichiban are proud to be supporting the performance of Madama Butterfly at the Royal Opera House between the dates 14th February and 10th March 2007.

For further details on the date and time of each Madama Butterfly performance please visit:

www.roh.org.uk.