Madama Butterfly

Concept

Giacomo Puccini

There is a shocking lack of South Indian representation in modern Western media. When India and Indians are included, they are invariably North Indians. The North of India is home to most of the famous cities and monuments, like New Delhi and the Taj Mahal. Most of the Indian food that Westerners are exposed to are from North India. North Indian food is mostly dairy and meat based, which makes it more palatable for American tastes. This lack of representation for South India continues to the modern operatic cannon. According to Wikipedia, there are 28 operatic works set in India, of which none are concretely set in South India. Gehe’s Jessonda, Donizetti’s Il Paria, and Adam’s Si J’Etais Roi are all set in Portuguese India, which likely means the state of Goa. The most famous Indian based opera is Lakme, and that work is set in North India. I, as a proud Tamilian, want to rectify this by telling stories that speak to my experiences of South India. I want to start this by setting Puccini’s masterpiece Madama Butterfly in Southern India.

Giacomo Puccini’s Madama Butterfly is a classic, timeless opera that explores the themes of love, betrayal, and cultural misunderstandings. Traditionally set in Nagasaki, Japan, the opera focuses on the tragic relationship between a young Japanese woman, Cio-Cio-San (Butterfly), and an American naval officer, Pinkerton. Relocating this narrative to Tamil Nadu in South India not only preserves these universal themes but also enriches them with the region’s unique cultural, historical, and aesthetic depth. Tamil Nadu, with its rich traditions, complex colonial history, and deeply rooted social customs, offers a powerful setting for a compelling reinterpretation of Madama Butterfly.

This production will be set on an isolated hill overlooking the naval section of the Chennai Port. Chennai (formerly Madras) is the capital city of Tamil Nadu, the sixth most populous state in India. There will be a few character changes, to adapt the story to one of South India. Butterfly will be reimagined as a young Brahmin woman. Her conversion to Christianity takes a new level of familial betrayal due to the Brahmins being the religious caste of India. Pinkerton, instead of being an American sailor, will be a British sailor who is stationed at the British Naval Base in Chennai Port, only getting married to an Indian woman until he can find a proper British woman. The servant, Suzuki, will be changed to a low caste house servant. She remains loyal to Butterfly due to the societal pressures that keep servants as almost slaves to the upper castes. Sharpless will be changed to be part of the Kshatriya caste. He would know about the societal consequences of Butterfly’s actions, adding to his guilt about the situation. Kate Pinkerton will be a British version of herself, knowing the societal ostracization of mixed-race children in South Indian society, she wants to take Butterfly’s baby as her own. The Bonze will be Butterfly’s Brahmin uncle, angry at her for her conversion to Christianity. Goro will be a normal marriage broker. Yamadori will be a wealthy Tamil prince who wants to woo Butterfly.

For this production, I would like to collaborate with a South Indian composer to replace the Japanese themes and motifs with Carnatic melodies. I would like to integrate South Indian instruments through the pit. I want to use instruments like the veena, a plucked string instrument, or a Tanpura, which could replace the classical string section at times. These changes would make the show more grounded in the South Indian style and story that is being conveyed.          

For more information, please reach out. I would love to discuss this.