Madama Butterfly: Vocal Score [Paperback]

Thomas Martin (Editor), Ruth Martin (Editor), Giacomo Puccini (Composer)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 1, 1986

Italian/English. Translated by Martin. This revised edition features a new cover design and introductory plot synopsis in English.

Product Details

• Paperback: 278 pages
• Publisher: Ricordi (November 1, 1986)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0793553881
• ISBN-13: 978-0793553884
• Product Dimensions: 10.5 x 7.8 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #347,235 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #10 in Books > Arts & Photography > Music > Theory, Composition & Performance > Sheet Music & Scores > Composers > Puccini
  • #91 in Books > Arts & Photography > Music > Theory, Composition & Performance > Sheet Music & Scores > Historical Period > Late Romantic

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars When is Butterfly Performed in English?, June 28, 2008

By 

Lissette Jimenez "If it isn't Baroque..." (Miami, FL) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

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This review is from: Madama Butterfly: Vocal Score (Paperback)

I purchased this score for a performance of Butterfly in July and August of this year. You would think a Ricordi score would have the Italian text on top. But, no, on top is a larger type English text. Underneath is the barely legible Italian text. Maybe I'm missing something, but most of the Butterfly recordings that I'm familiar with are sung in Italian. Perhaps singing the opera in English was an earlier practice and I've heard "Un bel di sung" in English, but really it isn't standard practice for this opera anymore, and Ricordi should update their score. I literally had to take corrector tape and white-out the English, so I would only have the Italian below my music. I prefer to write out my own translations anyways, so the English took up precious score space, when the Italian could have been made far more legible.

Other than that, and a few mistakes here and there, the music is clear, and the score is a tough one. I've spilled some coffee on the cover, and it wiped off well, with no damage. The binding is also pretty strong.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars English version, August 24, 2010

By 

Vinnie! (New York) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Madama Butterfly: Vocal Score (Paperback)

My only real issue with the score is that the Italian is below the English and in Italics.

1.0 out of 5 stars not a good edition, January 22, 2011

By 

tenor - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Madama Butterfly: Vocal Score (Paperback)

If you are planning on performing this opera in Italian, do NOT buy this edition. It is impossible to follow because the English translations are on top of the Italian and the Italian is small and italicized. The paging is awkward and does not follow either the Schirmer or the hard copy of the Ricordi. I learned the music with CD sheet music and got this in the mail the day of my first rehearsal... I immediately sold it to a girl in the chorus after the rehearsal and ordered another edition. It is useless, unless you are performing it in English which probably never happens.