Madam Butterfly returns to the Royal Albert Hall next year

It has been announced that Giacomo Puccini‘s masterpiece of doomed love and tragic passion, Madam Butterfly, will play a limited run at the Royal Albert Hall, beginning on 26 February 2015. David Freeman will direct, reviving his Japanese water garden production, designed by David Roger.

The opera will be sung in English, using the acclaimed translation by Amanda Holden. The cast will be accompanied by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Oliver Gooch.

The role of the young Japanese bride, Cio Cio San will be shared by Nam-Young Kim, Hyeseoung Kwon and Myung-Joo Lee, opposite Jeffrey Gwaltney, James Edwards and Mario Sofroniou in the role of American naval lieutenant, Pinkerton. Sabina Kim, Catherine Hopper and Marcia Bellamy will play Suzuki, with David Kempster, Wyn Pencarreg and James Cleverton as Sharpless.

The role of The Bonze will be played by Michael Druiett. Julius Ahn will play Goro with Seungwook Seong as Yamadori, Lise Christensen as Kate Pinkerton, Freddie Tong as Imperial Commissioner and Richard Suart as the Registrar.

Staged in-the-round, the production transforms the iconic Royal Albert Hall into Japan in 1907. Once more the floor of the Royal Albert Hall will be flooded to create David Roger’s design where Madam Butterfly’s house is perched on stilts above the surface of a traditional Japanese water garden.