Madam Butterfly: Program for the 1st American Opera Performance in Washington, D.C.

This is a very scarce program for the 1st American performance of the opera "MADAM BUTTERFLY" by Giacomo Puccini. The title page of the program states: "First Performance in America and First Presentation in English on October 15th, 1906, at the Columbia Theatre, Washington, D.C." Published by Boosey & Co., New York.

Puccini wrote five versions of the opera. The original two-act version,which was presented at the world premiere at La Scala on 17 February 1904, was withdrawn after the disastrous premiere. Puccini then substantially rewrote it, this time in three acts. This second version[was performed on 28 May 1904 in Brescia, where it was a great success. It was this second version that premiered in the United States in 1906, first in Washington, D.C., in October, and then in New York in November, performed by Henry Savage's New English Opera Company (so named because it performed in English-language translations).

Condition:
Mostly clean covers and spine with only a few small stains to top edge of spine and at the upper-right edge of the back cover. The cover have notable tears/chipping along the perimeter; small piece missing at upper-left corner of front cover and larger piece missing at bottom edge of back cover. The cover is firmly attached. The pages are in great condition - clean and white with no notable condition flaws.