BLACKPOOL opera fans will delight at the divas, sopranos and tenors treading the boards at the Grand Theatre next month.

Mozart's comic masterpiece The Marriage Of Figaro sweeps into town on November 2 followed by Verdi's much loved opera Nabucco on November 3, both at 7.30pm.

Nabucco tells an epic tale of revenge, destruction and jealousy set against the haunting backdrop of Hebrews being forced from their homeland into exile and includes one the most popular of all opera ensemble numbers, the poignant and melodic Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves.

The Marriage Of Figaro is a story of servants plotting against their masters full of musical favourites such its famous Overture and the catchy aria Non Piu Andrai.

Performed by the acclaimed Chisinau National Opera, the Moldovan company will be augmented by hand-picked international stars.

Both operas are backed by one of the country's leading independent producers Opera and Ballet International.

And The Citizen has teamed up with The Grand Theatre to give two lucky readers the chance to win a pair of tickets for each of the prestigious productions. For a chance to win a pair of tickets for The Marriage of Figaro simply answer this question:

In which Austrian city was Mozart born?

For tickets to Nabucco answer the following question:

Opera and Ballet International appeared at the Blackpool Grand earlier this year in which hugely successful production?

Usual competition rules apply. Send your entries to Grand Theatre Competition, Citizen Newspapers, St Annes Buildings, Clifton Drive North, St Annes, FY8 2NA to arrive no later than October 28.

And, if you fancy treading the boards yourself the company are looking for extras for the production of Nabucco.

They need ten men with dark hair aged between 20 and 40 to play Babylonian soldiers and two young girls aged between six and ten for a part of the Hebrew Chorus.

Send your CV and a photograph to Extra Casting, Opera and National Ballet, The Historic Dockyard, Kent, ME4 4TE.

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