In “The Spectacle of the Other,” Stuart Hall discusses how representations of non-Western cultures often rely on stereotypes, emphasizing a binary set of “the exotic Other” against the “familiar West.” In Puccini’s Madama Butterfly, this binary becomes vivid in the opening scene, where Lieutenant Pinkerton, a U.S. naval officer, meets Cio Cio San, a young Japanese girl he is set to marry temporarily. The opera uses music, dialogue, and costumes to portray Cio Cio San as submissive, naive, and mystical– all qualities often stereotypically assigned to Asian women in Orientalist frameworks. Her delicate voice, traditional attire, and ritualized movements are all made to appeal to Western ideas of the “exotic” East, reinforcing a sense of cultural distance that Hall might identify as reducing the “Other” to spectacle.

Watching Madama Butterfly as my first opera was very grandiose and because of that- took some getting used to. The scale of the performance and its qualities: the orchestra, the costumes, and the dramatic expressions were very unique compared to other kinds of theatre I have seen. I found the music beautiful, especially the way the orchestra and the singers combined to convey emotion within the audience. However, it was also somewhat challenging because the operatic singing style and language barrier made it harder to follow the story directly. I enjoyed the immersive atmosphere and the artistry of it all, but I definitely had to pay attention in a different way than with other performances. Overall, it was a memorable experience that felt like a mix of storytelling and musical performance.