Night at the Opera: Madame Butterfly Part #2

I finally got my sketchbook scans from the Madame Butterfly opera, and finally found the time to edit them so I could post them here.  Better late than never, right?

As I mentioned before, I only drew three things.  I was frequently distracted by how absolutely gorgeous this opera was.  The costumes, the deceptively simple sets, and the breathtaking music all made it very difficult to focus on drawing anything.  Not to mention, I'm still not much for doing gesture drawings in the dark.  So, like I do, I created three interpretations of the story using a Japanese anime/manga style.

First, I'm basically summing up the first act here with these "chibi" drawings.

My interpretation of Cio-Cio-San (Madame Butterfly) as she appeared at her wedding.  Fresh, young, bright, and innocent.  Large eyes are symbolic of innocence and youth in Japanese animation, and poor Cio-Cio-San had both in spades.  She was only 15, for crying out loud!


And last but not least, the climactic suicide scene.  Madame Butterfly, wings torn and destroyed, impaling herself on the needle point of her dagger.


Honestly, I couldn't have done this opera justice if I'd had months and all the paper and markers in the world.  This production was lush and phenomenally beautiful, the performances stirring, and the atmosphere perfectly crafted.  When it finished, I felt like I was waking up from a deep, dreaming sleep.  It was an illusion as delicate as a butterfly's wing.

I will do my best to get my next set of sketches and review up by tomorrow.  Stay tuned for my post on The Giver!

-Maria