Giacomo Puccini's masterpiece Madame Butterfly, will be performed by the London City Opera at 8 p.m. Friday in Eisenhower Auditorium. The classic tale of love and courage was last performed at Penn State six years ago.

Susan Boardman, associate professor of music, said she holds Madame Butterfly -- along with Carmen -- to be one of the best-loved operas of all time.

"Puccini is extremely melodic and very captivating," she said. "Even people who don't like opera like Puccini."

Madame Butterfly is the story of a 15-year-old Japanese geisha who falls in love with American Navy Lt. Benjamin Franklin Pinkerton during World War II.

Cio-Cio San, or Butterfly, renounces her religion and marries Pinkerton despite her family's disapproval.

"She's a lovely and fragile person," Boardman said of Cio-Cio San's character. "At the same time, it's an extremely strenuous role."

For three years, Cio-Cio San cares for their son Trouble and waits hopefully for Pinkerton's return to Nagasaki. But when he finally arrives, he is not alone. Pinkerton has brought his new American bride, Kate.

Kate pleads with Cio-Cio San to let her and Benjamin raise Trouble. Cio-Cio San reluctantly agrees. In the end, she sadly takes her own life.

"It's an absolutely tragic story," said Boardman. "Everyone cries."

Madame Butterfly was one of the earliest American stories to become a European opera. It was originally a novel written by John Luther Long and was later adapted to the stage by David Belasco. Supposedly, Puccini was inspired to write Madame Butterfly as an opera when he saw Belasco's play in London.

Karen Kloster, tour coordinator for Columbia Artists, said although the opera is tragic and depressing, the story is ultimately about love.

"Butterfly always has hope, she never gives up," said Kloster. She said the company will visit 60 cities within a three-month period. Because of the number of shows, the tour has four versions of the same cast, with a total of 80 cast members.

The opera will be sung in Italian with English supertitles, and is accompanied by an orchestra.

Laura Sullivan, spokeswoman for the Center of the Performing Arts, said Madame Butterfly is ideal for opera lovers and first-time opera goers.

"If students have never experienced opera before, this is a great opportunity to try it," she said. "Especially with student ticket prices being so reasonable."

Ticket prices are $13 or $19 for Penn State students, $29 or $39 for general audience members, and $15 or $23 for people 18 and younger.

Sullivan said the London City Opera has performed at Penn State several times in the past years. Most recently, the company staged The Merry Widow and Carmen.

"Based on performances done in the past, we can expect beautiful costumes and quality voices," she said.