Puccini, G :: Un Bel Di

Musicians Publications presents Giacomo Puccini's Un Bel Di from his famous opera Madame Butterfly arranged for woodwind quintet by Bill Holcombe and Bill Holcombe Jr.

Madam Butterfly is one of Puccini s best known operas along with Manon Lescaut, 'La Boheme, Tosca and Gianni Schicchi.

Madam Butterfly is particularly familiar to Japanese because the story is set in the Japanese city of Nagasaki, and Un bel di vedremo is their favorite aria.

Puccini was inspired to write an opera version of Madam Butterfly when he saw a theatrical adaptation by David Belasco of John L. Long s novel of the same title in London at the turn of the century, when London was having a Japanese boom triggered by the International Exposition in Paris. Puccini is said to have been attracted by the dramatic character of the heroine. Madam Butterfly was first performed in public in Milan in 1904.

The story is about a tragic love between an American navy officer, Pinkerton, and a Geisha professional female entertainer Chocho-san. They are united and have a boy baby after a short period of happiness Pinkerton returns home alone. Chocho-san anxiously awaits the day when they can reunite. She sings this aria, Un bel di vedremo as she naively tells her nursemaid, Suzuki, how she imagines to herself the joy of reunion with him: On a clear day, a streak of smoke will rise beyond the horizon, and a ship will come in sight. That white ship must be a warship with my husband aboard. Soon he comes climbing up the hill and calls out to me. But I won t come out right away to greet him. I will hide, for otherwise I would die from joy

- Naituta

This woodwind quintet is advanced in difficulty and 3:40 in duration.