The Foreign Service on Stage: Madama Butterfly

In Puccini's masterpiece Madama Butterfly an innocent young Japanese girl is seduced (well, bought) by a caddish American naval officer who quickly abandons here. While she waits patiently for his return, her one line of communication is the American Consul, Sharpless.

Poor Sharpless has a pretty thankless role, both in the drama and in the opera. He must be the perpetual bearer of bad news and has no arias and very little memorable music (except the 'Letter Duet' with Cio-Cio San). He is usually depicted as a good-hearted but feckless bureaucrat, overdress and out of shape.

So it seems that art often imitates life...