Madama Butterfly, PARTS for Chamber Orchestra: (19-27 players)

Puccini sketched the score from 1901 and completed multiple versions in 1904–07, in an originally two-act (later expanded to three) structure. The score mixes Puccini’s late-Romantic lyricism with exoticising Japanese color, intimate domestic scenes and sweeping orchestral moments. Though Puccini reworked the piece repeatedly, the “standard” version that most companies perform stems from revisions completed in 1907. After a notorious, hostile La Scala premiere Puccini revised the work and achieved triumph at Brescia three months later; the opera has since become one of the repertory’s staples. 

Madama Butterfly for Chamber Orchestra (19-27 players)

Puccini scored Madama Butterfly for a full late-Romantic pit typical of verismo opera: strings, a substantial woodwind and brass section, percussion (including exotic percussion effects), harp and an on-stage samisen/choral-like colour when required. Typical modern full productions use 60–80 players. The opera’s melodic clarity and intimate scenes make chamber reductions feasible: a carefully arranged version for 20–30 players preserves core textures and vocal balance. Butterfly for Chamber Orchestra requires:

• Flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon
• (French) Horn, trumpet
• 1-2 percussionists (timpani, triangle, side & bass drum, cymbals, tam tam)
• Keyboard: glockenspiel, bells, harp
• String orchestra (11-18 players):
• 3-6 first violins
• 3-6 second violins
• 2-3 violas
• 2 cellos
• Bass