“I wish I was a flower, blooming on the rocks; I wish I was a droplet, dampening your cheeks.”

Madama Butterfly II is a story of rebirth.

The tragedy of Giacomo Puccini’s protagonist Cio-Cio San has inspired numerous artistic works including several fragrances.

Senyokô portrays Puccini’s Madama Butterfly in contrast to the traditional narrative. Madama Butterfly II is presented as the reborn Cio-Cio San, an optimist relieved of her sadness.

This fragrance is a representation of Cio-Cio San celebrating her reincarnation and independence. Journey with Cio-Cio San as she transcends her state of innocence to achieve liberation.

One fine day, Cio-Cio San is by the sea. The reborn Cio-Cio San is deep in contemplation, wondering what her new life holds. Confident, strong and empowered, no longer does Cio-Cio San yearn for Lieutenant Pinkerton’s affection. 

Notes

Act I ... Fragility

Momentary notes of pink pepper and angelica are intertwined with the soft citrus bouquet of quince, clementine and vestiges of sparkling tagettes: an aromatic combination representing the fragility and naivety that once haunted Cio-Cio San, now only fleeting memories. She is a flower ready to blossom.

Act II ... Metamorphosis

Ethereal incense and galbanum resins encase textural flowers. With time this suffocating casing unfurls to display not only flowers in bloom but also lush red-fruits and berries. This seamless transition illustrates Cio-Cio San’s metamorphosis - the shifting duality of textures and the protagonist’s personality: hard and soft, elegant yet fearless. At its heart, Madama Butterfly II is delicately green: cocooned in brittle resins, grounded by roots, surrounded by unfamiliar fruits and flowers.

Act III ... Rebirth

Assertive notes of musk and amber take hold, uniting to become a vigorous accord which sustains and adds unwavering strength to the composition. This collision of two opposing olfactory structures creates an exaggerated tension allowing for a sensuous resolve; contemporary materials are crashed against their classical counterparts resulting in a resolutely powerful and imposingly aggressive effect, possessing equal levels of modernity and tradition. The inherent dynamics found within the final stages of Madama Butterfly II act as a molecular representation of the woman Cio-Cio San has become, distorting the girl she is expected to be.

in brief: pink pepper, quince, tagettes, angelica, petitgrain, clementine, galbanum, incense, raspberry, tulip, iris, sakura blossom, musk, ambergris, cedarwood, sandalwood, patchouli, tonka bean absolute

Perfumer

Euan McCall

Characteristics

• 8 different musks are used in this fragrance, in exceptionally high doses, so that everyone can sense them.
• Each juice is macerated for at least 6 months in Grasse.
• The unique caps (made in France, in Challes) reflect "the texture of life".
• The glass bottles are made by Saverglass, France