Ok so I personally headcanon this queer Puccini AU with happy endings for Rigoletto and Madame Butterfly:
Gilda decides that the Duke isn't worth sacrificing herself for and leaves Mantua, travelling East over several years whilst disguised as a man. She eventually makes her way to Nagasaki and meets Ciocio-san (Butterfly) during the three years that Pinkerton is away. They fall in love and Ciocio-san finally realises that Pinkerton is a total doodlebag. When he returns, the two women tell Pinkerton's new wife Kate how dumb he is so she dumps his unfaithful butt too.
Gilda and Ciocio-san live in Japan for the rest of their lives with Ciocio-san's son, keeping in contact with Kate, and EVERYONE IS HAPPY. See, it wasn't that hard to make everyone queer and happy Puccini, god damn it man.
Someday I'll do a comic of this, especially the bit where Ciocio-san roundhouse kicks Pinkerton in the face.
