THERE won't be a dry eye in the house when the Russian State Opera of Rostov visits The Bridgewater Hall on Monday, November 18 (7.30pm) with their spectacular production of Puccini's Madama Butterfly.

Two of the finest singers from the Marinksy Opera (formerly The Kirov) -- Yevgeny Akimov and Valentina Tsydypova -- join the company on their UK debut.

Akimov received rave reviews when he sang recently in the proms at the Royal Albert Hall with the Kirov, and Tsydypova is a regular visitor to Covent Garden and the world's opera houses.

The devotion of Cio Cio San, Puccini's Japanese heroine, to her faithless American lover, Lieutenant Pinkerton, is one of the great operatic love stories.

Unbelievably, the premiere in 1904 was not a success, causing Puccini to revise his score. He received tremendous acclaim for the "new" Madama Butterfly three months later. The role of Butterfly is one of the most demanding parts in the operatic repertoire, beginning as an ingenuous youth and ending in sad maturity. Along the way, the part encompasses some of the most poignant music Puccini wrote, including the Flower Duet and the painful monologue on the brink of death.

Tickets range from £15 to £32 and are available from the box office on 0161 907 9000, or on-line at www.bridgewater-hall.co.uk

Three lucky Reader Club members have the chance to win a pair of tickets. Simply answer the question and send in your completed entry coupon to Madama Butterfly Competition, Reader Club, Bolton Evening News, Churchgate, Bolton, BL1 1DE, to arrive no later than November 12. Alternatively, e-mail us on comps@boltoneveningnews.co.uk -- usual Bolton Evening News rules apply.

QUESTION: What is the name of the Lieutenant in Puccini's Madama Butterfly?