The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1911-12-17
Madame Butterfly Recital by Auxeto-
phone Next Friday Evenlnu.

phone Next Friday Evening.
Through the courtesy of Mr. Jesse
Baker the Cosmopolitan club will give
a very attractive program in the Y. NJ.
G. A. auditorium on Friday evening,
December % at s o'clock. Mr.. Baker
will present through his auxetophone
the opera Madame Butterfly" The
Cosmopoliton club is a branch of the
educational work of. the Y w, G. A.
No charge OF any sort will be made
for the evenings entertainment and
the general public is very cordially
invited Japanese tea will be served
and short social hour close the
pleasure of the evening. In order that
those who attend may better under
stand the opera the following history
of the play will be of interest:
The opera Madame Butterfly" is
founded on the Japanese play of that
name by John Luther Long and David
Belasco. 1t was composed after visit
| il to London where Puccini went to
witness production of the work. He
was SO impressed that it was not long
/ before he decided to use it as the
liSletto for an opera. Returning to
| his home Pucoini began work On his
masterpiece, but was interrupted by a
serious accident. However. SO haunt
| ing was the theme that while still
suffering from his injuries he contin-
ued his composition. After his recov-
| o,,, p,ao;n; urnrf tn papoo whora he
met the Japanese ambassador who
was gracious enougth to obtain for
him some Japanese melodies, diff
cult thing to accomplish, for in Japan
yery little music is written though
much is played. The local color thus
| obtained was a great help to the COM
poser who returned to his home and
worked feverishly upon the tragedy
until np.ettd. So inspired was he
by the fate OF the little human butter
fly that the opera contains several
of his rinest alias.
The story is that of simple faith
wrecked ,,y careless thought. Cio-Cil
San, Japanese maiden renounces
] her Gods and weds Lieutenant Pin
kerton of the United States navy, De
nounced by her people Butterfly
ciings to her faith in Pinkerton, who
after a few months dreamlife will
A his japanese bride had returned t.
America.
Season after season she watche
for his return despite protestation
l Of mo ryo On
At last the ship lies in the harbo
upon which is Pinkerton who is &C
COMMANDED by his new bride. TIL
American consul is sent to break tn
news to Butterfly and to urge her Z
accent a persistent sutton. She file
into an indignant rage at the sugges
ton of another alliance and bring
ont her little fair haired son as reaso
enough why she should be faithful t
her American husband The consl
is SO touched that he leaves the hous
without telling his mission.
All night long Butterfly watches fo
pinkerton's coming. In the dawn sh
takes her little son in her arms an
goes to her chamber. In her absenc
Pinkerton arrives and seeing the Ii
tie house decorated for his comm
steals away, so overcome with r
morse is he.
It is left for the American wife
make things plain to Butterfly. ST
also offers to care for the child. III
faithful heart is broken. They ma
x,,1,;1 =,
when Pinkerton, grief stricke
II rushes in he finds his son sitting
the center of the room waving q
American flag. BY his side lies Blu
terfly with wound on her throat
II dead