HE may only have been treading the boards for the last year, but this six-year-old is set to steal the limelight at the Wyvern Theatre next month when he appears in the opera, Madam Butterfly.

Catherine Wayte Primary School pupil Toby Barton has been selected to play the part of the son of Madam Butterfly in the Russian State Opera touring production set in turn of the century Japan.

The popular opera tells the story of a doomed love affair between an American naval officer and his young Japanese bride, whose self-sacrifice and defiance of her family leads to heartbreak and tragedy.

Joining the performers for their appearance in Swindon on Tuesday, February 16 will be young Toby, who has been attending Stagecoach in Swindon for around a year. He was selected after the production company contacted the school to find a suitable child to play the role for the opera’s performance in Swindon.

The opera will be sung in Italian with English subtitles, with the Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa and an orchestra of more than 30 musicians.

Dad Tim said he was very proud that his young son had been selected for the role.

“It’s fantastic. He has always been quite extrovert and outgoing," he said.

"He started going to Stagecoach to build his confidence and just a year later he has been given a part in a performance on the stage at the Wyvern where he has previously been to see pantomimes.”

Toby will only have the one rehearsal with the rest of the cast on the day of the performance before the curtain goes up that evening, but Tim said his son wasn’t fazed by this.

He said: “He is quite excited. It is also quite daunting, but I think once he gets there and gets involved he will love it.

“Naturally he is thinking about the size of the theatre – it must be quite a big auditorium for such a little person.

“For us it is going to be both exciting and nerve-wracking seeing him on the stage. He has always been the little entertainer in the family without a doubt.”

Madam Butterfly will be performed at the Wyvern Theatre on Tuesday, February 16 at 7.30pm. For tickets call 01793 524481 or visit www.swindontheatres.co.uk.