Award-winning producer Ellen Kent returns after her recent critically-acclaimed tours of Nabucco, Aida and La Boheme, to Aylesbury Waterside Theatre next month.

One of the world’s most popular operas, Puccini’s Madama Butterfly, and the love story that gripped Paris, Verdi’s La Traviata, will be performed at the theatre on May 4 and 5. 

Celebrated soprano Maria HeeJung Kim, from the Korean National Opera, and the international soprano Alyona Kistenyova with Vasyl Vasylenko - artistic director and conductor for the National President’s Orchestra of Ukraine, will join the productions. 

Madama Butterfly is Puccini’s popular tale on which the hit West End musical Miss Saigon is based. One of the world’s most popular operas, Puccini’s Madama Butterfly tells the heart-breaking story of the beautiful young Japanese girl who falls in love with an American naval lieutenant – with dramatic results. 

La Traviata is Verdi’s outstanding interpretation of one of the most popular love stories of the 19th century, La Dame aux Camelias by Alexander Dumas, a tragic tale of searing passion and memorable music Dumas made no secret of the fact that his book and play were autobiographically based on his own affair with Marie Duplessis, who died in 1847 of tuberculosis at the age of 23.  

Kent was fascinated by the book which she read whilst rehearsing Traviata in the Ukraine in 2011.  

The operas will be conducted by Vasyl Vasylenko, who is the artistic director and conductor at the National President’s Orchestra of Ukraine, Kiev, and the guest conductor and artistic director of the National Opera of Moldova, Nicolae Dohotaru. With 30 members of the National Ukrainian Orchestra.

Book your tickets by calling 0844 871 7607, go to the box office or visit atgtickets.com/aylesbury.