“There seems to be some confusion,” writes Melodie Bahan, director of communications at the Guthrie, about the play M. Butterfly “and its relationship to the opera Madame Butterfly.” In an e-mail to the press corps, Bahan offers a “handy chart” to help differentiate between the two. If journalists are confused, you may be as well. For your amusement and edification, here’s the chart, taken verbatim from Bahan’s e-mail.
| Title | M. Butterfly | Madame Butterfly |
| Author | David Henry Hwang, Chinese-American playwright | Giacomo Puccini, Italian composer |
| First Premiered | On Broadway in 1988 | At La Scala in 1904 |
| Genre | Play | Opera |
| Is it a Musical? | No | No, it’s an opera. |
| Does it contain music? | Puccini’s opera is referenced in the play and some of the music from it is heard | Yes, it’s an opera. |
| Setting | China and France | Japan |
| Main Characters | French diplomat Rene Gallimard and Chinese opera performer Song Liling | U.S. Navy Lieutenant B.F. Pinkerton and Japanese geisha Cio-Cio-San |
| What Does the Title Refer To? | M. is the French abbreviation for Monsieur | Cio-Cio-San is also known as Butterfly |
| Inspiration for the Story | Inspired by the strange but true story of a French diplomat accused in 1986 of giving secrets to his Chinese lover. Although they were together for nearly 20 years, the diplomat claimed he did not know his lover was a spy. Or a man. | Based on the short story “Madame Butterfly” (1898) and the novel Madame Chrysanthème (1887) |
| Is there nudity? | Yes. | No. |
| Where can I see it? | At the Guthrie from April 17 through June 6 | Not at the Guthrie. Ever. |
Photo: David Henry Hwang. Photo by Craig Schwartz, courtesy Guthrie Theatre.
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