THE Lancashire Sinfonietta orchestra is to welcome Lancastrian opera star Jane Irwin to perform a romantic programme.

The concert in Accrington will be directed by Andrew Watkinson, leader of the City of London Sinfonia and Britain's top string quartet, the Endellion Quartet.

The programme includes Beethoven's Symphony No.3 "The Eroica" which is one of the composer's most popular and best-loved works, and Mezzo-soprano Jane will perform songs from the "Nuits d't" ("Nights of Summer") by Berlioz.

Jane, who grew up in the county, now lives in Glasgow where she performs with one of Britain's top opera companies, the Scottish Opera. She is a frequent guest at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, and has performed with some of the world's top international orchestras including the Berlin Philharmonic. She made her Carnegie Hall debut in 2002 and is also regularly features at the Edinburgh International Festival.

The performance at Accrington Town Hall is on Saturday, March 6, at 7.30pm.