Anna Nicole the opera – in pictures

Eva-Maria Westbroek plays the title role in Anna Nicole, Mark-Anthony Turnage’s opera about the doomed life of the Playboy model Photograph: Tristram Kenton

The opera depicts Smith's career as a woman whose surgically enhanced figure became the object of worldwide fascination Photograph: Tristram Kenton

Smith died at the age of just 39 after an overdose; Turnage has said his aim was to create a story that morphs gradually into tragedy. The libretto is by Richard Thomas, co-creator of the equally upfront Jerry Springer: The Opera
Photograph: Tristram Kenton

Designed by Miriam Buether, the opera replays Smith's life as a kind of garish cartoon Photograph: Rex Features/Alastair Muir

As well as a full quotient of strippers, the opera – directed by the flamboyant Richard Jones – features black insect-like creatures with cameras for heads Photograph: Reuters

One of those cameras can be seen front of stage in the marriage scene, in which Anna Nicole marries 89-year-old oil billionaire J Howard Marshall Photograph: Tristram Kenton

Alan Oke plays J Howard Marshall. "Turnage seems to have reverted to his old tricks with this flamboyantly vulgar and fabulously entertaining new work," wrote the Telegraph's critic, awarding it all five stars Photograph: Tristram Kenton

The New York Times's Anthony Tommasini called it "a weirdly inspired work, an engrossing, outrageous, entertaining and, ultimately, deeply moving new opera" Photograph: Tristram Kenton

Our Andrew Clements was less sympathetic, awarding the show two stars. "There are very few moments when the drama is driven by the music, when the cartoon-like scenes, with cliche texts and schoolboy humour, are given shape and purpose," he wrote Photograph: Tristram Kenton

He concluded: "Too little of this show seems necessary at all" Photograph: Tristram Kenton

But the story might not be over just yet – according to some reports, Smith's estate is considering legal action against the producers, calling the show 'sleazy' and complaining that the family were not consulted Photograph: Reuters

In the meantime, it seems unlikely that the Royal Opera can lose, at least financially: the production has long since sold out Photograph: Tristram Kenton