ELLEN Kent and Opera International s new traditionally-staged production, Madama Butterfly, performed by the Chisinau National Opera, is coming to the Cambridge Corn Exchange next month. Madama Butterfly features a host of international soloists, a 40-pie

ELLEN Kent and Opera International's new traditionally-staged production, Madama Butterfly, performed by the Chisinau National Opera, is coming to the Cambridge Corn Exchange next month.

Madama Butterfly features a host of international soloists, a 40-piece orchestra - and a stunning Japanese garden.

The production is based on a true story, and tells of an innocent geisha girl who falls in love with an American sailor.

Puccini's popular tale is the original inspiration for the popular West End musical Miss Saigon.

As Alain Boubil and Claude Schonberg, the authors of the Miss Saigon story, said: "We resolved to write our own story, retaining Butterfly's basic plot of a misunderstanding between two individuals of different cultures."

Highlights from Ellen Kent and Opera International's production of Madama Butterfly include the Humming Chorus, the poignant aria One Fine Day, and the Love Duet.

The opera is packed with raw emotion and passion, with exciting performances from Irina Vinogradova, Nadia Stoianova and Galina Bernaz as Madama Butterfly, and the international tenor Rusian Zinevych, who performed with Pavarotti in summer 2004. It is sung in Italian with English surtitles.

For tickets call the Box Office on 01223 357851. The performance starts at 7.30pm.