Those who prefer something more traditional should be warned

ENO

It is being directed by Spaniard Calixto Bieito, who took control of the controversial version of Mozart's Don Giovanni last summer.

A spokesman told BBC News Online: "The cast has been working on this for eight weeks and they are all professional.

"They will give 100%. They may not agree with everything the director wants, but they are professional enough to do the work."

Bieito, 38, has transferred the plot from 18th Century Sweden to the political climate of post-Franco Spain.

His previous productions of A Masked Ball showed scenes of male rape and nudity.

Audiences are being warned about the adult nature of the production.

'Black humour'

The ENO website warns viewers "those who prefer something more traditional should be warned".

"There will be some violent and adult scenes as well as a black humour and, in Verdi's words, 'fire, excitement, disorder'."

A spokesman for the opera played down claims the production would be graphic, saying people will "see worse things on TV".

Don Giovanni had a mixed reception last summer

Verdi wrote the opera in 1859, during his "middle-period". It was originally about the true life assassination of King Gustav III of Sweden.

However, as it was written during uncertain political times, censors were not happy with the plot line about the murder of a monarch and threatened to stop Verdi's opera being performed.

So he had to relocate it to the US and the King of Sweden became the Governor of Boston.

However in later years, the opera was later returned to its original state.

Bieito has already caused a stir with his ENO production of Mozart's Don Giovanni last June.

He was met with boos after audiences were shocked by the portrayal of the lead character snorting cocaine.

Don Giovanni was written by the Austrian composer in 1787 and tells the story of a heartless seducer and those whose lives he touches.

'Passion'

The ENO production saw Giovanni's debauchery in all its glory with orgies, drug-taking and explicit language.

Some angry opera-goers booed, hissed and waved programmes aloft to show their displeasure.

But a spokesman for the ENO said: "As well as the boos there were a lot of vocal cheers. It was about half and half, you either loved it or hated it.

"I have never seen an opera elicit such reaction but the fact that it got a reaction at all shows the relevance of opera in modern day.

"After all opera is all about passion."

A Masked Ball runs until 11 April.