One of the most popular operas in the repertoire, Puccini’s Madama Butterfly exists in several versions. This recording of the 1904 La Scala Milan version affords a rare opportunity to hear the composer’s very first thoughts. Listeners familiar with the frequently recorded “Paris” version of 1906 will discover first of all that its Acts II and III were originally a continuous Act II. The earlier version contains some 130 bars of music that were subsequently deleted including, in Act II, a longer Intermezzo and a more extended version of Butterfly’s lullaby. There are also many smaller additions or differences in scoring.