Episode 9.13 - Madame Butterfly Prelude Part Two

If at first you don’t succeed, rewrite it four times—just ask Puccini. In this season’s final opera prelude, Jeff and Carol explore Madame Butterfly, from its rocky premiere to eventual triumph. They delve into the opera’s complex cultural backdrop, examine its literary roots, and confront the tension between the troubling elements within its story and its lasting popularity with opera audiences.