ONE of opera's rising stars has put together his first ever recorded work.

Irish tenor Sean Ruane, who grew up in Bacup, has produced 'She Moved Thro' The Fair' -- the singer's response to numerous requests from fans for a CD.

He said: "It's a very personal statement. It's a simple mixture of songs that I love and enjoy listening to -- some Irish and some operatic. It's just my voice and the piano."

Sean, who has put the album together through his own company, SLR Music Productions, was educated at St Theodore's RC High School in Burnley.

The whole album was recorded in one take at the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester, where he originally trained.

He added: "We didn't go through a grandiose polished post-production to digitally remaster my voice. The whole thing was recorded and produced in a matter of hours. What you hear, warts and all is what you get.

"I had been offered a five album deal with a major label but it didn't give me any artistic input or freedom. I know it sounds like a cliche but I want to be able to sing songs I love."

The choice of Irish classics like Danny Boy stems from Sean's own background. His parents were originally from County Mayo and Sean has already earned a loyal following in Ireland following several concerts.

The CD is available by going to www.seanruane.com priced £10.