SCOTTISH Opera returns to the Regent in Hanley next week with Puccini's Madama Butterfly and a new production of Donizetti's Lucia di Lammermoor.

The company visits the Potteries venue with the very best in Italian opera from Tuesday to Saturday, featuring a production from Tony award-winning director John Doyle.

Madama Butterfly is one of the most popular operas in the world with exquisite music from Un bel di to the Humming Chorus, performed here in David McVicar's sublime production.

Acclaimed Australian soprano Rebecca Nash, sings the desperate Butterfly and English tenor John Hudson performs the heartless Pinkerton.

The production is conducted by Francesco Corti, an Italian whose recent work has taken him to San Francisco and Vienna, and who is making his debut with Scottish Opera this season.

Leah Hausman is director and movement director for this revival of Glasgow-born McVicar's 2000 production.

Lucia di Lammermoor is often acclaimed as Donizetti's finest work and contains some of the hightest vocal notes of any opera, made famous by Maria Callas and Joan Sutherland.

It is more than 20 years since Scottish Opera staged the work and this fresh production is directed by John Doyle, whose theatre work in Europe and USA has won countless accolades.

The role of Lucia is sung by leading South African soprano Sally Silver and her lover Edgardo is sung by Turkish tenor Bülent Bezdüz.

The conductor is James Grossmith, Scottish Opera's own chorus master.

For tickets call the box office on 0870 0606649.