Blackpool News / Theatres & Shows Ellen Kent’s - La Traviata and Madama Butterfly LIVE at BLACKPOOL GRAND THEATRE 8 December 2017 by Visit Blackpool The award winning producer Ellen Kent returns in the Spring after her recent critically acclaimed tours of Nabucco, Aida and La Boheme, with three stunning traditional productions. Puccini’s Madama Butterfly, one of the world's most popular operas, Verdi's La Traviata, beautiful, heart-breaking and tragic and Verdi's Rigoletto, the dark opera they tried to ban. Madama Butterfly Madama Butterfly is Puccini’s popular tale 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. Highlights include the melodic Humming Chorus, the moving aria One Fine Day and the unforgettable Love Duet. With exquisite sets including a spectacular Japanese garden and fabulous costumes including antique wedding kimonos from Japan designed by the renowned Russian designer Felix Bessonov, from St Petersburg. International Korean soprano Maria HeeJung Kim from the National Opera House of Seoul will be making her debut in the UK singing the role of the tragic Cio Cio San. HeeJung Kim, the talented young star studied in Milan and has made her debut as Madama Butterfly at the Milan Opera. HeeJung Kim has sung Madama Butterfly and La Traviata at major Opera Houses in Europe. As with any of Ellen Kent’s shows all of the soloists have been hand-picked and directed by Ellen to create a visually beautiful and moving production of Madama Butterfly. “Above all it was a production which captured the raw emotion at the centre of the opera. Don’t take a handkerchief with you, take a box of them.” The Independent La Traviata Starring the international sopranos Alyona Kistenyova* and Maria HeeJung Kim*, with Vasyl Vasylenko, artistic director and conductor for the National President's Orchestra of Ukraine, Kiev 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. Alyona Kistenyova, the international soprano from Odessa National Opera will be returning after her critically acclaimed performances of Aida, La Boheme, Carmen, Tosca and Die Fledermaus to sing the part of Violetta. International Korean soprano Maria HeeJung Kim from the National Opera House of Seoul will be making her debut in the UK singing the role Violetta. HeeJung Kim, the talented young star studied in Milan and has made her debut as Madama Butterfly at the Milan Opera. HeeJung Kim has sung Madama Butterfly and La Traviata at major Opera Houses in Europe. The productions will be sung in Italian with English surtitles. Grand Theatre Blackpool Dates and Times: 20th and 21st February (19:30) Tickets: £31.00 - £34.00 LINK TICKET: Book both La Traviata and Madama Butterfly for £53 (Enter promo code EKLINK)