A Vision of the Orient: Texts, Intertexts, and Contexts of Madame Butterfly

Ian C. Nelson, Librarian Emeritus, former Assistant Director of
Libraries (University of Saskatchewan) and dramaturge (Festival de la
Dramaturgie des Prairies).

This compilation of thoroughly researched articles by 14 scholars
includes a selective chronology, musical examples from Puccini’s
opera, illustrations and photographs from the Pierre Loti archive,
precise and informative footnotes, and a 16-page bibliography. The
contributors bring to their studies expertise from a range of university
specializations in music and musicology, theatre and film, English and
Japanese literature, and women’s and gender studies.

The iconic opera Madama Butterfly has a long literary and theatrical
history dating from even before Pierre Loti and Henry Belasco penned the
diary and stage tale of Madame Chrysanthиme that served as immediate
inspirations for Puccini and his librettists for their perennially
popular work. There has also been a contemporary surge of interest in
the story owing to the stage play M. Butterfly by David Henry Hwang and
its film version by David Cronenberg, as well as Robert LePage’s play
The Seven Streams of the River Ota. These many primary sources come
under close scrutiny in this series of studies.

Not surprisingly, particular attention is paid to traditional
imperialistic attitudes toward East–West relations and parallel gender
stereotypes characterized by pernicious misunderstandings of Oriental
society and the pervasive objectification of East-Asian women as
classically portrayed in the Madame Butterfly story. Additionally there
is a rich vein of investigation into aspects of disguise and
role-playing, the psychology of the geisha and sexual identity.
Narrative discourse (in plays and in opera) and the audience’s
perception of specific characters are also closely analysed in
theatrical and cinematic terms. It may surprise some when one
contributor concludes “the Japanese appropriated the stereotypes
imposed on them by Europe and America and put them to their own
purposes.” What is both refreshing and most valuable in this
collection is that the contributors have been true to their desire to
assemble “a book […] full of opinions in conflict with each other
[…and] with no pressure of consensus.” Clear internal references
point out specific areas of agreement or disagreement with other team
contributors and cited sources.