A ROUSING evening of music and song will ensure the festive season starts on a high note.

North-East company InterOpera is staging two special performances at The Bowes Museum in Barnard Castle on Saturday, December 6, and Gateshead Old Town Hall on Sunday, December 7.

Festive Treats, funded by Arts Council England, will include a selection of favourites from popular operas, including Bizet’s Carmen, Puccini’s La Bohème and Johann Strauss’s Die Fledermaus.

Performers include soloists Penelope Randall-Davis, Heather Jill Burns and Austin Gunn, singing together with Gateshead-based Rocket Opera chorus and the Championship Felling Band.

Professional musicians will be joined on stage by pupils from Cotherstone and Bowes Primary Schools at The Bowes Museum and Hotspur Primary School at Gateshead Old Town Hall.

InterOpera Project Manager Jill Cole said: “InterOpera has become very well-known across the North-East over the last few years for its unique work with brass bands.

“Although the company still loves to work with small orchestras, the relationship with brass has been particularly forged through the Durham Brass Festival, and we are delighted to be working again with Felling Band.”

Most of the original music has been transcribed for brass instruments by Weardale-based musician Steve Robson, leader of Stanhope Silver Band.

Both concerts start at 7.30 pm.

Tickets for The Bowes Museum show cost £16 and £14, with concessions at £15 and £13. Contact, telephone 01833-690606.

Gateshead tickets cost £16 and £14 for concessions. Contact, 0191-443-4661.