THE former coal and steel area of Derwentside has been seduced by high art if the latest audience figures at Consett's Empire Theatre are anything to go by.

The major coup of landing the world renowned Moscow Ballet, revealed in The Northern Echo, meant the show was sold out within days.

But tickets for other shows, which in previous years have not sold out, are also flying out of the box office at the council venue.

Only a few tickets are available for the Cwmni Ballet Gwent's performance of A Midsummer Night's Dream, in November, and sales of the Pimlico Opera's staging of Cosi fan Tutte, sung in English, are already double on last year.

More mainstream entertainment is also selling better than usual, according to sales staff. The recent Marty Wilde and Joe Brown concert was the first sell-out at the theatre, which seats more than 500, for more than a year. The theatre is hoping for another sell-out when Gerry and the Pacemakers appear in November.

General manager for theatre and arts Nick Wiggins said: "This is an exciting time for the Empire with the venue and the programme getting fantastic support from the public.

"This, in turn, gives us the courage to try new things. We are now programming bigger and better quality shows well into next year as well as continuing to develop our existing audiences."

Copies of Derwentside What's On are available from Derwentside District Council's leisure services department, on (01207) 218014, the Empire and Stanley Civic Hall