Opera in three acts (1904)

Set in 19th-century Japan, Moshe Leiser and Patrice Caurier’s exquisite production of Puccini's poignant opera tells the tale of a geisha who falls in love with an American soldier – and pays the ultimate price.

‘Love cannot kill: it brings new life’... On a starlit night in Nagasaki, these are the words spoken by US Lieutenant Pinkerton (fast-rising tenor Joshua Guerrero) to young Cio-Cio-San (superb soprano Maria Agresta). But as they both learn, words and promises carelessly spoken can have indelible consequences.

With a timeless score that includes Butterfly’s aria, 'Un bel dì, vedremo' (‘One fine day’) and the ‘Humming Chorus’, Puccini’s opera is entrancing and ultimately heart-breaking. Nicola Luisotti conducts.