SINGERS are being recruited to take part in a major community project which will be one of the highlights of this year’s Lammermuir Festival.

The annual music festival, which presents performances in stunning locations across East Lothian, will this year feature an opera with a cast of more than 100 professional, amateur and young musicians, stage crew and school pupils from East Lothian.

Overseen by Music Co-OPERAtive, they will present Benjamin Britten’s Noye’s Fludde, in Dunbar Parish Church, led by international opera star Donald Maxwell and conductor Sian Edwards.

Auditions for singers, solo and chorus are being held on Tuesday, June 14, with applications to be sent to the company by Sunday, June 12. Musicians have until June 20 to apply. To find out more or apply, email suebaxendale.mcopera@gmail.com

The festival returns to East Lothian for its seventh year in September, with 26 performances by a range of artists over 10 days at some impressive venues.

From St Mary’s Church in Haddington to the Concorde Hangar at East Fortune, the venues as always become a part of the overall performance.

This year, Lennoxlove House, which is not usually open to the public, joins the festival again, while Tyninghame House, another residence usually private, is a new venue.

As well as the community opera, which promises to be a highlight of the festival, there are many amazing twists and performances planned this year.

The Marian Consort make their festival debut this year with two appearances which promise to be extraordinary.

First they will present a programme of liturgical music which was banned in the late 16th century in the Great Hall at Lennoxlove.

Then the group will present a concert drama about the life of 16th-century composer Gesualdo in St Mary’s Church.

Gesualdo was Prince of Venosa and renowned equally for his music as well as murdering his wife and her lover after finding them together.

This will be the only Scottish performance of the group’s Breaking The Rules Tour featuring actor Finbar Lynch.

This year’s artist in residence will be pianist Roman Rabinovich, who will be performing at a series of coffee concerts which will be held in Haddington’s Town House on weekday mornings alongside coffee and pastries from local master baker Falko.

The festival starts on Friday, September 9, and runs until Sunday, September 18.

For the full programme or to book tickets, go to lammermuirfestival.co.uk