IT IS one of the most moving and dramatic stories in opera. And the tragedy of Giacomo Puccini’s Madam Butterfly will be retold in Huddersfield when Mid Wales Opera returns to the Lawrence Batley Theatre.

The LBT performance of this much loved opera on September 14 marks the English premiere of a new translation in English by Amanda Holden.

The company is a regular visitor to Huddersfield and returns with a cast of nine singers and the Mid Wales Opera Chamber Orchestra.

The performance is directed by acclaimed stage director Stephen Barlow and Nicholas Cleobury, the company’s artistic director, will conduct.

Nicholas has conducted all the major UK orchestras and widely in Europe, Scandinavia, Singapore, South Africa and beyond. He works regularly for the BBC and Classicfm, has appeared at most British Music Festivals, often at the Proms and has made many recordings.

Two years ago, he took on the job of artistic director with Mid Wales Opera, an award-winning company which has toured extensively throughout the UK for the past 21 years.

It was his decision to tour Butterfly which few operas can match for tragedy and sheer emotional power.

Set in Japan at the turn of the century, this fated love story of an American naval lieutenant and his young Japanese bride inspired Puccini to write some of his most sublime and beautiful music.

The cast includes Welsh tenor John Pierce as Pinkerton and soprano Meeta Ravel as Cio-Cio San Madam Butterfly.

Both were in this year’s Cardiff Young Singer of the World competition with Meeta, who represented England reaching the final.

Both will share the leading roles with other soloists and it is yet to be confirmed whether they will sing in Huddersfield.

This new version of the opera opens in Powys for a three night run on September 7 before arriving in Huddersfield.

Mid Wales Opera’s productions have now been performed in over 80 venues in Great Britain and Ireland.

Tickets for the LBT performance, which starts at 7.30pm are £19, £17, £15 / concessions £2 off from the box office on 01484 430528 or book online at www.thelbt.org.

And for the many opera fans in Huddersfield, get October 26 in your diary too.

That is when Music Theatre Wales returns to Huddersfield, this time with a brand new version of an opera which has always caused a stir among critics since it was first seen in the Eighties.

A new staging of Mark Anthony-Turnage’s opera, Greek, opened in Wales just weeks ago and the critics still love it.

It is a reworking of the Oedipus myth with a contemporary setting and apparently, lots of fizz.

Details on both in the LBT’s new season’s brochure which is out now.