that the viola d'amore part (which is hardly ever performed with an actual viola d'amore) is supposed to be played from the stage. That really changes everything. The chorus of humming sopranos and tenors is off stage, Butterfly, Suzuki, and baby Dolore are in silhouette behind the screen of their Japanese house waiting motionlessly for Pinkerton to return, and the only movement you see (in Puccini's inner eye and score) is a viola d'amore player, with a scroll that reminds us that love is blind.
There is a visual echo of a viola d'amore scroll a few measures from the end of the second act when Butterfly blindfolds her son.
[No spoilers here for those who have not yet experienced the opera.]
5 comments:
Hi Elaine,
Thanks for bringing this to our attention. I posted your link on my facebook page, where quite a few have commente on the on stage direction.
best, tom georgi
Brilliantly said ..Butterfly is a masterpiece with many hidden layers...!
Brilliantly said Elaine...Butterfly is a masterpiece with many hidden layers.
Italian is one of the more difficult languages for foreigners, filled with nuance for the unwary. “Sul palco” means “off-stage,” an indication reinforced by Puccini’s instruction “Interno ma vicino” (“off-stage but close”, i.e., “in the wings,” as opposed to the indication for the chorus “Interno lontano” = “off-stage from far off”, i.e., “behind the set”). If Puccini had intended for the Viola to be ON the stage he would have written “in scena.” Sorry to burst the bubble on this one…
No bubble has been burst, Anonymous. Thanks for the clarification.
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