Madam Butterfly, Giacomo Puccini’s masterpiece of doomed love and tragic passion, will play a limited run at the Royal Albert Hall next year, directed by David Freeman.

The stage of the Royal Albert Hall will be transformed into a Japanese water garden. PAUL SANDERS

The opera will be sung in English, with the cast accompanied by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Sharing the role of the young Japanese bride Cio Cio San will be 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. Set in Japan at the turn of the century, this tale of the doomed loved of an American naval lieutenant and his young Japanese bride inspired Puccini to write some of his most beautiful music. The floor of the Royal Albert Hall will be flooded as Madam Butterfly’s house perches on stilts above the surface of a traditional Japanese water garden, in an ambitious stage set that’s sure to wow audiences.

Madam Butterfly runs at London’s Royal Albert Hall from February 26 to March 15, 2015. Special rates for groups of 10 or more are available for performances from Tuesday to Thursday; for details call 020 7838 3100 or visit www.royalalberthall.com