THE countdown to a spectacular opera production has begun in earnest after performers recorded a CD of music from the show.

Teesside soprano Suzannah Clarke joined young singers from Northern Stage at The Forum music centre, in Darlington, for the recording on Saturday.

Their pieces will be part of Blaze, which will be performed at Darlington Railway Centre and Museum next month.

The £250,000 show is the first opera to be staged on a railway platform and will feature 100 children from across the Tees Valley.

They will all receive a copy of the CD to use as a learning aid ahead of the performances between July 27 and 31.

Ms Clarke said yesterday: "This is learning material for the children and we have got quite a rush on to learn it. Normally, it would take three days to do what we did in one afternoon.

"But now we have done the recording, everybody is really excited about the project."

Blaze will be based on Darlington's railway heritage.

Published: 28/06/2004