MID Wales Opera’s SmallStages present the world premiere is their new touring production “A Spanish Hour – Ravel’s L’Heure Espagnole”, at Llanfyllin’s Theatr Llwyn next Friday, November 9.

Ravel’s exhilarating one-act bedroom farce gets a new arrangement for this autumn tour which will also visit Presteigne Assembly Rooms on Sunday, November 11; Neuadd Dyfi, Aberdyfi on Saturday, November 17; Trefeglwys Village Hall on Saturday, November 14; the SpArC theatre, Bishops Castle on Thursday, November 29; Criccieth Memorial Hall on Saturday, December 1; Abermule Community Centre on Thursday, December 6; and ing at St.Lawrence’s Church, Ludlow on Friday, December 7.

First performed in Paris in 1911, “L’heure espagnole” is set in a clock shop in Toledo, central Spain. It follows the fortunes of Torquemada, the hardworking clockmaker, as, during the course of one hot afternoon, his young wife Concepción negotiates her way through her collection of ridiculous lovers. Ravel’s music is bursting with hummable melodies, lively habanera dances and other Spanish folk song elements to get audiences buzzing.

Cath Backhouse, singing the role of Concepcion, said: “I absolutely love Ravel’s music, it has elements of Spanish dance, some really jazzy harmony and bags of personality especially for Concepcion. She is sassy, fiery, witty and fabulous,”

This is opera for everyone - featuring an outstanding cast of five young singers as well as four brilliant musicians, performing a new English translation by Artistic Director Richard Studer and a new arrangement of Ravel’s exotic score created by Music Director Jonathan Lyness.

With tickets priced around £10, “A Spanish Hour” is perfect for MWO’s SmallStages performances, keeping opera live and local and reaching places where opera is rarely if ever performed. There’s no formal dress code, and the production’s designed to be a great night out in relaxed and informal settings.