AN AMERICAN tenor sets off this month on a marathon musical trek which will include performance stopovers at several places in North Yorkshire.

David Pisaro plans to spend two weeks walking the 230-mile Coast to Coast route from St Bees to Robin Hood's Bay, pausing to sing Schubert's Die Winterreise at a 13 locations.

These include a farmhouse in Keld, St Andrew's Church, Grinton, All Saints' Church in Northallerton, and venues in Stokesley and Richmond.

Written in 1827, shortly before the death of the composer, the work traces the physical and emotional journey of a rejected lover travelling away from home across snow-bound landscapes.

Mr Pisaro, who comes from Buffalo NY but now lives in Middlesbrough, will re-enact the physical aspect of the theme, stopping to perform the song cycle, accompanied by pianist Quentin Thomas, who will drive to each point.

The walk will be filmed as he records his feelings about the performances and the places he visits during the journey from Cumbria across the Pennines and into North Yorkshire, starting on January 19.

"I will be wandering in the wilderness - though I will not be giving up my girlfriend," said Mr Pisaro, 28, who became a keen walker when he moved from the United States to Cornwall and discovered this country's network of well-plotted coast and country routes.

The singer, who has lived in Britain for seven years, is studying for a master's degree at York University. Last year he did some teaching at Middlesbrough College and ran an opera chorus for amateurs.

He is keen to attract new audiences to classical music, and to Die Winterreise in particular by giving an authentic rendition of the wanderer's story - inspired, in part, by his own increasing tiredness as the actual walk progresses.

Dates and places he will visit include: January 24, J R Rukin's Farm, Keld (not open to the public); January 25, St Andrew's Church, Grinton; January 26, Georgian Theatre Royal, Richmond; January 27, All Saints' Church, Northallerton; January 28, Stokesley Town Hall; January 29, St Joan of Arc Hall, Botton Village; January 30, St Michael's Church, Grosmont; and January 31, Old Chapel Book Shop, Robin Hood's Bay.

Tickets are £7, and may be obtained from 11 The Avenue, Linthorpe, Middlesbrough, TS5 6PA, with cheques payable to: Winter Journey. Contact Botton Village on 01287 660871 and Richmond Theatre Royal on 01748 823021.

Tickets will be held on the door at venues and the price includes an illustrated programme.