Lakeland Opera has assembled another excellent cast to stage Bizet's masterpiece Carmen.

Under the company's new director Yvonne Fontane, LO presents one of the most popular operas of all time at Kendal's Westmorland Hall on Friday, November 4; the Coronation Hall, Ulverston, on Saturday, November 5; and Keswick's Theatre by the Lake, on November 9/11/12.

Full of passionate and dramatic arias and ensembles, Carmen boasts the Toreador song, probably the best-known operatic aria on the planet, as well as other jewels such as Habanera and the Flower Song.

The opera deals with the love and jealousy of Don Jose, who is lured away from his duties as a soldier and his beloved Micaela by the gypsy factory-girl Carmen, who he allows to escape from custody.

Kathryn Hannah (left) takes the role of the fiery Carmen.

She graduated in Fine Arts from Newcastle University before deciding to be a professional singer and recently played Gianetta in Donizetti's L'Elisir d'Amore for Opera Holland Park.

Robert Millner is Don Jose.

Robert is already familiar with his role, having performed the part on a USA tour with London City Opera and for Garden Opera in 2004. He studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and had the privilege of studying with renowned tenor Franco Corelli.

Swedish-born bass baritone Stefan Holmstrom is Escamillo, the Toreador, and playing Micaela, Don Jose's former girlfriend, is Nicola Wydenbach. Like Kathryn, Nicola has appeared with Opera Holland Park for the past two seasons.

The musical director for Carmen is Anthea Bremner, founder of Lakeland Opera.

An added ingredient, to what promises to be a spectacular production, will be a children's chorus put together and directed by Anastasia Micklethwaite, director of Furness Music Centre.

All performances start at 7.30pm.

To book contact the Westmorland Hall box office on 01539-729702; Ulverston's Coro on 01229-587140; and Theatre by the Lake on 017687-74411.