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Covent Garden opera comes to Haverhill in 3D next week.

The Royal Opera House’s stunning production of Puccini's Madam Butterfly in 3D can be seen in Haverhill Cineworld on Monday, March 5, at 7pm, as part the Royal Opera House’s 2011/12 Cinema Season.

Following The Royal Opera’s co-production of Carmen in 3D in 2011, the first-ever opera filmed for mass distribution in 3D, Madam Butterfly is a co-production between RealD and the Royal Opera House, filmed during live performances at Covent Garden in July 2011.

Puccini’s heart-rending tale of love and betrayal has been brought to the big screen in Julian Napier’s exquisite film, where the characters and key moments of the action are heightened and enriched through the immersive power of 3D.

The opera’s ravishing score features such wonderfully lyrical passages Dì Vedremo’, (One Fine Day), Cio-Cio-San’s first entrance, and Pinkerton’s seduction of her.

Tony Hall, chief executive of the Royal Opera House, said, “Madam Butterfly is one of our audiences’ favourite productions, so to be able to share this with a global audience with the power of 3D in cinemas is wonderful.

"It’s an opera full of drama and stunning music. I’m really pleased that we can build on the success of Carmen in 3D with RealD and progress our partnership in creating unique experiences for opera and cinema fans all over the world.”

Joseph Peixoto of worldwide cinema at RealD, said: “Madam Butterfly will build on our successful production of Carmen in 3D by giving 3D fans a unique perspective on the arts and expanding the 3D cinema opportunity by introducing new audiences around the world to the RealD 3D experience.

"Madam Butterfly in RealD 3D will allow audiences to go beyond simply watching the performance and feel as if they’ve literally stepped into Covent Garden and on stage alongside the performers.”

The performance’s stage direction is by Moshe Leiser and Patrice Caurier, featuring Liping Zhang in the moving lead role of Cio-Cio-San, the innocent Japanese girl and James Valenti as the dashing American serviceman Lt Pinkerton, who seduces and betrays her.

Paul Wynne Griffiths conducts The Orchestra of the Royal Opera House. Phil Streather is producer and Julian Napier directs the film as with the Carmen in 3D