Maurice Sendak: Madama Butterfly Poster

Illustrator Maurice Sendak's poster for the Houston Grand Opera's 1997-1998 season, their forty-third, features an image from Giacomo Puccini's Madama Butterfly. Cio-Cio-San is seen from behind near the end of the third act. Her gesture indicates agitation as Dolore, her love child by U.S. Naval Lieutenant Pinkerton, waves the stars and stripes she has just given him as a final farewell.

Detail of upper half

Detail of lower half

Maurice Sendak's signature

A signed example is available from Blank Verso Books of Napa, California. It is priced at $300. It's possible the HGO production may have been called Madame Butterfly.

Maurice Sendak
AbeBooks listing accessed October 16, 2024

https://www.abebooks.com/signed-first-edition/MAURICE-SENDAK-SIGNED-POSTER-MADAME-BUTTERFLY/32013284023/bd?cm_ven=nl&cm_cat=trg&cm_pla=want_CM&ref_=pe_aep_AEP_wants_buyer-wants&cm_ite=viewbook

Maurice Sendak
AbeBooks item description details

04771

The Fortune of the Night

I'm beginning to suspect my Chinese fortune was plagiarized.

"Open up your mind. Let your fantasies unwind."

The relevant lyrics are at about 2:21 in this video recording of "The Music of the Night:"

"The Music of the Night"

from "The Phantom of the Opera" (1986)

Michael Crawford as the Phantom

Sarah Brightman as Christine Daaé

Andrew Lloyd Webber, music

Charles Hart, lyrics (with Richard Stilgoe?)

Speaking of allegations of plagiarism, the estate of Giacomo Puccini once accused Lloyd Webber of lifting a musical passage from the opera "La Fanciulla del West" ("The Girl of the Golden West"). The suit was settled out of court. Listen from 0:40 and see what you think.

"Quello che tacete"

from "La Fanciulla del West" (1910)

Daniele Barioni, tenor, as Dick Johnson

Giacomo Puccini, music

Guelfo Civinini and Carlo Zangarini, libretto

Note:  It seems much of the world's accumulated wisdom can be gleaned from fortune cookies. See my collected musings after Chinese banquets here.

More posts about the Broadway stage may be seen here.

0995