Song's entrance
The first image of the play, apart from Gallimard in his prison cell, is Song, dressed in traditional clothing of the Chinese opera, dancing to percussive music. The music then slowly turns into the "Love Duet" from Madama Butterfly.
Song performing as Butterfly
When Gallimard first sees Song, she is performing the death scene from Madama Butterfly, singing the aria and brandishing a hara-kiri knife to commit suicide. In this moment, Song is an Asian woman assuming an Asian character that is usually played by an older white Western opera singer. She brings an authenticity to the role that Gallimard has never seen.
Song, naked
Towards the end of the play, Song removes his clothes to show Gallimard once and for all that he is a man. He says, "Monsieur Gallimard, the wait is over," before removing his briefs and revealing his male body, naked. Gallimard has no choice but to see Song as he really is, stripped of the signifiers that have constituted his womanhood.
The final image
At the end of the play, Gallimard dresses up as Madame Butterfly for himself, as a way of being reunited with his "perfect woman," as Song watches him and smokes a cigarette. After Gallimard assumes his costume, he "plunges the knife into his body, as music from the "Love Duet" blares over the speakers...Then a tight special up [spotlight] on Song, who stands as a man, staring at the dead Gallimard." Song smokes a cigarette, stripped of all of his pretenses.
