“The first thing to say about English National Opera's new Puccini production is that it is stunningly pretty. The second thing to say is that, well, it is stunningly pretty. And the third thing… Forget the opera – admire the stage pictures. This Butterfly is so visually entrancing it doesn't matter what the story is about or whether it touches the heart. From the first note to last, the eyes have it”, – wrote Financial Times after the premiere in London. The director of this production Anthony Minghella was a laureate of eight Academy Awards, known to the world as a famous director and screenwriter of The English Patient, The Talented Mr. Ripley, The Cold Mountain. The production of Madam Butterfly at the English National Opera marked director’s debut in the field of opera and proved to be highly successful. It won the prestigious Lawrence Olivier prize as the best opera premiere of 2005 and was presented in Vilnius after six months, on 23 March, 2006 – it was soon named one of the best opera productions of all times to be shown at the LNOBT. Speaking of the differences between productions in London and Vilnius, the director himself claimed the latter was deeper, more subtle, revealing more meaning and poetry.