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The Madama Butterfly Opera Bracelet tells the story of Puccini's opera through symbolic beads and charms. A meaningful gift for an opera lover.
Madama Butterfly: a tragic tale of destroyed innocence set on the backdrop of clashing cultures. Naive Japanese geisha Butterfly thinks she has found her savior in US Lt. Pinkerton. She keeps her faith in the US, it’s God and love until it is clear that he was not her savior but her destruction. This heart wrenching tragedy has been the first opera for many and holds a place of love in many hearts. I hope you will find the bracelet keeps the beautiful story and music close to you.
Each bead and charm of the Madama Butterfly Opera Bracelet represents a character or moment from Puccini's work. Some of the most important beads and charms are described below and you can see all of the symbolic descriptions on the spiral chart photo above or to the left. Also, a story chart explaining the symbolism of the beads and charms accompanies every bracelet. See chart below.
- A red and white beadsymbolizes Japan as the land of the rising sun. Patriotic colored beads and a US flag charm represent Lt. Pinkerton and consul Sharpless. A bronze colored bead is marriage and house broker Goro.
- Faceted pink beads and pink butterfly crystals to symbolize Cio-Cio-san.
- A cross bead represents Butterfly’s controversial decision to become a Christian, embracing the faith of her new husband. A large dark bead is the disapproval of her Uncle the Bonze. She weeps (teardrop bead) until sundown (gold sun over the water bead).
- Blue crystals with star and heart shaped beads evoke the Act 1 love duet “sweet night of stars unending”.
- Three egg nest charm represents the three years Pinkerton has been gone after telling Butterfly he will return when the robins nest. A deep blue floral heart is symbolic of the strength of her love and faith that he will return. The heart with dots charm represents the words of "Un bel di" in which Pinkerton is described as a dot moving nearer.
- A pink cats eye symbolizes Suzuki as the witness to Cio-Cio-san’s story and a golden bead is the Prince which Goro proposes as anew husband for Cio-Cio san. She shocks Sharpless and Goro by revealing her son (small gold glass bead inspired by his golden curls.
- Glass flower beads symbolize the flower duet in which Suzuki and butterfly decorate the house with flowers to celebrate Pinkerton’s return. The sun over the water bead is used again to evoke their vigil from sunset to dawn.
- Pinkerton’s “real” wife Kate is a clear iridescent bead.
- Butterfly chooses to die with honor rather than live with dishonor. Her violent end is represented by a crystal Butterfly framed with blood red beads.
- Charms that enhance the piece are Butterfly’s fan, Kate’s wedding ring and the dagger which ends Butterfly’s dishonor.
