Giacomo Puccini (1858-1924)
Puccini did not choose for mythical stories about the gods, but for characters who are relatable for the public. His operas are captivating, dramatically intense and frequently feature the tragic death of the main character.
Madama Butterfly is the perfect example of this. The story depicts the relationship between a Japanese geisha Cio-Cio-san and the American lieutenant Pinkerton. Puccini had seen David Belasco’s play Madame Butterfly in 1900 and was inspired by it for his new opera. The first version was premiered in the Scala in Milan. The opera was not a success, but after a few revisions its dramatic story conquered the world.
In 1909, Madama Butterfuly was performed more than 42 times in Brussels in the Muntschouwburg. Puccini attended the premier. The Munt sold postcards for the occasion, with, of course, a depiction of the highly dramatic closing of the opera.
On 8 November 1909, Giacomo Puccini thanked the directors of the Muntschouwburg, Maurice Kufferath and Guillaume Guidé, for the second production of Madama Butterfly.
On 29 November 1924, Puccini died in Brussels. The funeral service was attended by the masses. A memorial plaque still hangs at the place of his death in the Kroonlaan in Elsene. In the library we keep a small bust of Puccini, made of alabaster.