What happens
American naval lieutenant B. F. Pinkerton marries Cho-Cho-San, a young geisha girl, in Nagasaki, Japan, and the two set up house together. The Lux Radio Theatre presents Grace Moore and Cary Grant in this 1937 broadcast of Madame Butterfly, with Pedro de Cordoba and Merrick Windheim in supporting roles. Pinkerton, who regards the marriage lightly, must return to America, while Cho-Cho-San waits in hope and keeps faith in his promised return. Her uncle, a priest, has already cursed her for abandoning her faith. The broadcast opens with the producer's introduction, followed by the story itself.
Nagasaki, Japan, in the late 19th century, including a tea house garden, the couple's new house, and the American consulate.
Characters: Lieutenant B. F. Pinkerton, Sharpless, Cho-Cho-San, Suzuki, Goro, Yamadori, Uncle, the Bonze
Listen for: Pinkerton's sudden orders to return to America, and Cho-Cho-San's faithful hope that he will come back.
Written from the episode itself; it never gives away the ending. Every recording is remastered for the stream: cleaned of rumble, hiss and mains hum (and the old TV whine where we found it), then levelled in two passes to steady broadcast loudness, so one show is never quieter than the next.