Miura’s Flight as `Japanese Butterfly’

Late Japanese soprano Tamaki Miura
(public domain photo)

The premier opera theater Trieste Verdi gave its first performance in South Korea, from March 12 to 15, with its original cast and chorus from Italy. Japanese soprano Mina Yamazaki, who appears in various European theaters, shared the role of Cio-Cio San in Puccini’s ``Madame Butterfly.’’

During a different time, however, casting a ``Japanese Butterfly’’ would have made headlines, as was the case for the late Japanese soprano Tamaki Miura (1884-1946).

``Madame Butterfly’’ was inspired by the short story by J.L. Long, and Puccini, never having traveled to Japan, composed music featuring faux Japanese tunes. Things Japanese were in vogue at the time, and the opera was a success. It remains one of the most frequently staged works to this day.

In 1915, Miura, a petite Japanese soprano, stole the international spotlight by debuting as Cio-Cio San in London _ becoming the first Asian woman to play an Asian character in the West. Shortly thereafter, she made her American debut.

``The novelty of the title role being sung by a young woman from the Orient attracted a large audience,’’ said the New York Times about Miura’s appearance with the Boston Opera Company in an October 1915 article. Although this particular daily questioned, ``Is Mme. Miura an artist or merely a curiosity?’’ as it criticized her thin voice, the majority of the Western press seemed ecstatic about the ``authenticity’’ of her performance, according to University of Hawaii professor Mari Yoshihara (``Musicians From a Different Shore,’’ Temple University Press). >>Fabulous book -- a must read on Asians & classical music

At the time, it must have been special to see a delicate Japanese woman in the role of a geisha who sacrifices everything, including her own life, despite the betrayal of her American husband. She embodied all that was fascinating about perceived Asian femininity. This is ironic, however, since Miura in real life was a most untraditional Japanese woman, as Yoshihara suggests.

The soprano was born in Tokyo in 1884 and rose to prominence by singing in the first domestic productions of Western operas. She became known as a ``modern woman’’ who rode bicycles. She stirred scandals by divorcing her first husband and then abandoning her second for her career, not returning to Japan even when he died while she toured Europe and North America.

Interestingly, Miura was well aware, said Yoshihara, of the Western Orientalist perspective on herself and the flaws of the opera: ``The first act is almost thoroughly absurd to the Japanese, and one can see this as an unfiltered expression of the fantasies of the foreigners who have no understanding of Japan,’’ she was quoted as saying.

Nevertheless, the ``Japanese Butterfly’’ used the West’s fascination with her appearance as an advantage, and wore the kimono in public events even though her contemporaries more often wore Western clothing. As she became popular, she gave recitals featuring a combination of classical works by Mozart, Japanese folk songs and arias from ``Madame Butterfly.’’

Furthermore, she embraced the idea that the work was written by and for the Westerner. She is quoted as saying, ``No matter how hard I try to perform in an authentically Japanese fashion, such a performance would not fit neatly with the opera as a whole. One has to harmonize Japanese emotions and manners into the opera.’’

Miura did not, however, approve of the palpable flaws of the productions. She adjusted the costumes, which often looked Chinese, and also suggested featuring ``sake’’ (Japanese rice wine) in the wedding scene as well as traditional Japanese dance movements.

Meanwhile, the Japanese press both hailed and denounced Miura’s activities, praising her role for introducing Japanese culture, but also chastising her failure to fulfill a ``proper’’ woman’s role. The successful star usually ignored the latter, but as the Pacific War escalated, and sentiment against things Western turned sour, she acted quickly to denounce Western music. But after the war, she resumed singing Western songs and -- like Madame Butterfly -- was baptized, shortly before her death in 1946.

Read more about Trieste Verdi's "Madame Butterfly"