Award-winning producer Ellen Kent returns to Bournemouth in Spring 2026 with Opera International Kyiv, Ukraine presenting stunning classical productions of Bizet’s Carmen on Wednesday 11 March 2026, and Puccini’s Madama Butterfly on Thursday 12 March 2026.

For the 2026 tour, Ellen Kent celebrates the Farewell Opera Tour, seeing the opera company embark on its last UK tour.

Ellen Kent’s Madama Butterfly, winner of the Best Opera Award at the Liverpool Daily Post Theatre Awards, returns in a new production with exquisite sets including a spectacular Japanese garden and fabulous costumes including antique wedding kimonos from Japan. One of the world’s most popular operas, Puccini’s Madama Butterfly tells the heartbreaking 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". Sung in Italian with English surtitles.

Bizet’s masterpiece, Carmen, is an evening of passion, sexual jealousy, death and unforgettable arias. Carmen is the story of the bewitching gypsy girl whose tantalising beauty lures a soldier to desertion and leads to her own murder. The opera includes some of the most evocative and best-loved melodies in opera – "The Habanera", "The Seguidilla", "The Flower Song", "The Chanson Bohème" and perhaps the best-known baritone aria of all "The Toreador’s Song". The stunning set reflects the magnificent architecture of Seville with its Roman and Moorish influences. Sung in French with English surtitles.

Ellen Kent, a stalwart in the arts industry, has been touring opera and ballet for the past 33 years. Since 1992, Ellen has created a niche market for the best of traditional opera and ballet from Eastern Europe.

She was the first producer to put out a major tour of foreign opera on the British theatre circuit and she dominated the ballet market in the UK for many years. Gaining great acclaim over her career, Ellen has produced many award-winning opera’s and has also been commended in her own right with awards including The Golden Fortune Honorary Medal from the Ukrainian president Vladimir Yushchenko for her pioneering work with the Ukrainian National Opera of Odessa, as well as a medal from the president of Moldova for the Best Contribution to the Arts in Moldova linked to her support and investment in the Chisinau National Ballet and the Chisinau National Opera.

The 2026 Farewell Opera Tour celebrates the past 33 years of touring opera, as Ellen looks forward to working on new projects in the arts.

Alike Ellen’s past UK and Ireland opera tours, Ellen has personally hand-picked and directed all three operas to create visually beautiful and moving productions.

Carmen (Wednesday 11 March 2026) and Madama Butterfly (Thursday 12 March 2026) at Bournemouth Pavilion are on sale now.