The passion of opera in Madame Butterfly

Featuring an impressive cast and accompanied by a large live orchestra with over 30 musicians no opera can match the tragedy and passion of this opera with its climactic famous aria. Set in Japan at the turn of the century, Madam Butterfly has as its central theme noble self-sacrifice and it tells the story of a doomed love affair between an American naval officer and his young Japanese bride, whose defiance of her family and desperate yearning leads to heartbreak. The premiere of this exquisite production, with its beautiful set and costumes, intensifies the emotion in an already heart-breaking opera. This touching story of innocent love crushed amidst two utterly different cultures resonates as strongly as ever in today’s world. The child chosen to portray the son of Madam Butterfly is James Greenhalf who is six years old and has been attending Stagecoach Theatre School for two years. He loves performing and has taken part in shows at Stagecoach. James also enjoys swimming, gymnastics and football and is a member of his local football team. He is is thrilled to be a part of internationally acclaimed opera production and this is surely an experience to remember for a long time. Producer Alexej Ignatow, of Amande Concerts Ltd, who has co-ordinated the UK tour, said: “We are constantly on the lookout for new challenges, to ensure that our opera and ballet audiences get a chance to experience a wide spectrum of various classic pieces. With extensive national tours that get our productions seen the length and breadth of the country, we are able to offer national audiences in various theatres an unforgettable experience at a fraction of the price, all without sacrificing quality. So, it is very close to my heart to continue working with theatres all over the UK to deliver top quality productions every year and make new converts wherever we go. No experience is needed to enjoy these classics. Our sets and costume designs, as well as the informative programmes make the productions very accessible and most of all, enjoyable. For opera, English surtitles make it easy to follow the story as you listen to the performance sung in its original language.’ Tickets for performances are available at local theatres and further information and tickets are also available at: www.opera-tickets.co.uk