Did you come along to the BP Big Screening of Madama Butterfly last night? The Puccini opera was broadcast live to five screens around London (Trafalgar Square, Canary Wharf, Hammersmith, Walthamstow and Woolwich) and 15 around the UK (Aberdeen, Bradford, Bristol, Derby, Dover, Edinburgh, Ipswich, Leicester, Manchester, Middlesbrough, Norwich, Plymouth, Portsmouth, Swansea and Swindon).

The weather was suitably balmy for a delicious evening of free music and drama. Thousands of people across the country settled down to watch Butterfly and Pinkerton’s tragic story veer to its devastating conclusion. Andris Nelsons conducted, and Kristina Opolais was in fine voice as Butterfly, to James Valenti’s dashing Pinkerton.

As the sun set, there were tears, snuffles and rousing applause at the 20 giant monitors across the country: from Duthie Park in Aberdeen to the Piazza in Plymouth. Save for the occasional squawk of a flying seagull, or sound of a teenage skateboarder, the audience was rapt and the atmosphere elated.

Here’s a quick roundup of tweets and phone pics sent in by audience members on the night (click on the photos to enlarge).

ps: save the date - 13 July, Cinderella, Massenet’s opera, the last Big Screen of the summer.

A special thanks to Neil Gillespie, of the ROH Chorus, for sending in some expert pics.

Pick of the tweets

artsmartuk:  Re-fueling at the pit stop ;) the best crowd at Trafalgar Sq. http://twitpic.com/5ldrjp

JessicaMuirhead : Thank u @ 4 a great evening at Canada Square – did I mention I’m Canadian & so was my date?! #madamatwitterfly was amazing!

chrissieranson Look out! The Bonze!!

ADAMGWERLINGER:  i have blush wine in a spiffy bp canister, did you bring cheese? twitpic.com/5l645z

cintmint OMG just spent final two acts of MB sobbing while the lions of Trafalgar sq silently witnessed my, and B’s devastation

tomcnelson Beautiful sunset in Ipswich as Butterfly soars over the crowd of 2000.

ADAMGWERLINGER Getting our picnic on in the middle of trafalgar square for free @bpbigscreens twitpic.com/5l8g0c

@minvera69: Portsmouth guildall square in rapt attention.http://twitpic.com/5l990u

clairewhill @xxmarypoppinsxx Humming in Castle Square? As in mmmmmmmm humming? #IGetConfusedEasily

ADAMGWERLINGER @RoyalOperaHouse humming along to #madamatwitterfly with the other 6,000 occupants of trafalgar square 

xxmarypoppinsxx HAVE BEEN ORDERED BY MUM 2 ASK U 2 SAY HELLO TO SWANSEA U3A WHO R HUMMING IN CASTLE SQUARE! lol

HankOrt Late tweet (low batt) – Mme Butterfly in Trafalgar Square: great atmosphere, great theatre. Nelson would have approved

ROHvCotswolds Kristīne Opolais sounded fantastic from inside @RoyalOperaHouse tonight too. Hope she’s been booked to return soon. 

CulturalWatch Night falls on #madamatwitterfly @bpbigscreens yfrog.com/h457zsrj

nathromeu #madamatwitterfly is very emotional. When Butterfly and Suzuki sing together it’s incredibly beautiful! @bpbigscreens

Megs24601 Mass humming at trafalgar square…wonderful atmosphere. Thanks @RoyalOperaHouse

3become1 How apt to see @bpbigscreens #madamatwitterfly on American Independence Day. Sorrow and joy. No one is tweeting here I think. #Walthamstow

SteveToole @Greenwichcouncl constant bangs of skateboards in background hasn’t helped! @bpbigscreens #madamatwitterfly otherwise it’s great!

SouthseaScene It’s very nice to sit on the Guildhall steps watching #madamatwitterfly eating wine gums. No one sush-ing you for the noisy wrapper!

nathromeu Mr Consul has the most wonderful voice! 

clivevpotter watching madam butterfly in duthie park 

lara_croft70having a ball at Derby. Fantastic atmosphere. X

3become1 Mesmerising duet and arias

ladypaperclip Pinkerton is such a loser omg. 

richardwiegold: how great to hear a big voiced Butterfly! And WITH the Dflat!

cazponty Hummed with one eye on #TDF Tried keepin in time with cyclists knees. Bit like hoping windscreen wipers keep time to radio!

AriaAlbaOpera Thanks #Edinburgh for a great audience @bpbigscreens Enjoy the main event!

dontcallmefred Really looking forward to #madamatwitterfly tonight in Bradford

slroh Some of the kit needed to broadcast #madamatwitterfly live this eve, rigged up on balcony @RoyalOperaHouse yfrog.com/h8230ufj