Japanese dancer with fans in Anthony Minghella's acclaimed ENO production of Puccini's Madam Butterfly. Photo © Johan Persson, courtesy ENO

Madam Butterfly at ENO

When: 10 Jun 2009 (various dates)

Where: London Coliseum

Opening Hours: 7.30pm; 20, 27 Jun & 4 Jul 6.30pm

In honour of Anthony Minghella's memory, his acclaimed English National Opera production of Puccini's 1904 weepie Madam Butterfly returns to the London Coliseum, once again starring Judith Howarth in the title role.

It's not often a Hollywood director drops everything to direct an opera, so ENO scored a coup in securing Anthony Minghella to direct Butterfly in 2005. Staggeringly beautiful to look at and with spectacular use of Bunraku puppets, courtesy Blind Summit Theatre, when it premièred it became the hottest ticket in town and quickly sold out. Minghella was planning a second operatic production when he died, tragically, in 2008.

Minghella's associate director and choreographer Carolyn Choa once again oversees the revival, which - for the first time - will be conducted by ENO's music director, Edward Gardner.

On a polished black-lacquered set, reflected in a mirror high above, vibrant contrast comes from the colour of both the horizontal aperture (very cinematic) at the back and the sumptuous costumes. Naive Japanese girl Cio Cio San waits endlessly for the return of Pinkerton, the American naval officer she had married, her loyalty never wavering as she brings up the son she has borne him. We follow her emotional turmoil and tragic end when Pinkerton returns, but with his American wife Kate.

The cast also includes Christine Rice as Butterfly's loyal servant Suzuki.

From its beginnings at Sadler's Wells, the opera company which sang its productions in English moved to the London Coliseum in 1968, changing its title to English National Opera in 1974. Following Sir Colin Davis, Sir Charles Mackerras, Sir Charles Groves, Mark Elder and Sian Edwards, Paul Daniel led the company back to the Coliseum after its major refurbishment in readiness for the building's centenary in 2004.

With Edward Gardner now into his second season as music director, English National Opera has once again got into its musical stride, balancing popular and innovative productions that, this season, range from Handel to John Adams.