The UK's favourite opera singer Lesley Garrett is filming a concert for the BBC at Harrogate on Sunday -- and the famous soprano picked out North-East performers to be by her side.

Newcastle-based Northern Sinfonia were chosen above other BBC and national orchestras and Lesley opted for the Northern Spirit Singers, after a recent successful concert at Newcastle's City Hall.

She said: "I am so looking forward to singing in Harrogate for my BBC Christmas Concert this December. We have a fantastic line-up of talent including the wonderful Jose Cura from South America, the lady known as South Africa's Queen of Song, Sibongile Khumalu, and jazz trumpeter Guy Barker. It will be wonderful to start my Christmas celebrations in Yorkshire and I hope viewers will enjoy our festive mix of songs and music, both new and traditional."

BBC Cymru Wales is organised the event, which will be conducted by Philip Ellis. The image projection system used on the front of Buckingham Palace for the Queen's Jubilee Celebrations earlier this year will also feature.

The performance list includes: Lux Aeterna -- Nimrod from Elgar's Enigma Variations, Some Enchanted Evening from South Pacific, Abide with Me, Baby It's Cold Outside and Lesley duets with Sibongile Khumalo for Little Drummer Boy and Jose Cura for Silent Night.

Lesley Garrett's concert will be shown on Christmas Day at 8.10pm on BBC 2. She can also be seen on BBC2 tonight (Sat) at 7.15pm taking a musical journey across Britain in The Singer. The concert is on Sunday at 7.30pm at Harrogate International Centre. Box Office: (01423) 537230