Several years have passed since Cio-Cio-San’s husband Lieutenant Pinkerton left her to return to America. She has never doubted for a second that he will come back to her. News indeed arrives that he has returned. But Cio-Cio-San could never imagine the real reason that Pinkerton is back…

From the rapturous love-duet to the devastating "One fine day", Puccini employs every single note to totally immerse his audience in Cio-Cio-San’s tragic story. Following her celebrated performances in 2007 Amanda Roocroft returns to the title role. Joachim Herz’s ravishing production, set in the period Puccini intended, has become a WNO classic that is destined to move you again and again.

Madam Butterfly is sung in Italian with an electronic surtitles screen above the stage carrying a translation in English (and Welsh in Wales) of everything that is being sung - so it's easy to follow all the action! Check when booking your tickets that a view of the surtitles is available from the seats you choose.

Click here to hear Laura Pooley, Chorus Member talking about why she is looking forward to Madam Butterfly.

Click here for our Twitter competition - Tell a love story in 140 characters

Click here to watch John Fisher's personal introduction to Autumn 09

Watch the first night audience reactions

Running time approximately 2 hours 50 minutes

To find out about Pre-performance talks click here

Conductor Carlo Rizzi (17,19,26 Sept and 4 Oct) Conductor Simon Phillippo (30 Sept, 8 Oct - 28 Nov) Director Joachim Herz Designer Reinhart Zimmermann Costume Designer Eleonore Kleiber Lighting Designer John Walterhouse