Madama Butterfly, title page and composer's portrait on opposite page
Madama Butterfly, title page and composer's portrait on opposite page
Puccini, Giacomo, 1858-1924. Madama Butterfly : (da John L. Long e David Belasco) : tragedia giapponese / di L. Illica e G. Giacosa ; musica di Giacomo Puccini ; opera completa ; pianoforte solo ; riduzione di Carlo Carignani. Milano : G. Ricordi, c1904.
Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa, who already collaborated on Puccini's La Bohème, draw their inspiration from John Luther Long's short story in order to write the libretto for Madama Butterfly. Having heard Donalda's interpretation of La Bohème on the stage of the Covent Garden, Puccini intended to commission her for the creation of Madama Butterfly too, but health problems prevented the Canadian singer from incarnating Cio-Cio San.

"Luigi Illica et Giuseppe Giacosa, qui ont déjà collaboré pour La Bohème de Puccini, s'inspirent de la nouvelle de John Luther Long. Ayant entendu l'interprétation de Donalda dans La Bohème sur la scène de Covent Garden, Puccini a l'intention de lui confier Madama Butterfly aussi, mais des raisons de santé vont empêcher la chanteuse canadienne d'incarner Cio-Cio San.