ONE West Dorset village is preparing to celebrate midsummer's day with two superb al fresco performances of Rossini's Barber of Seville.

Picturesque Abbotsbury is preparing to stage the lively comedy performed by The Garden Opera in the grounds of the Abbey House Hotel as part of its annual music festival.

Festival spokeswoman MaryLou Anderson, said: "Tickets are selling very well and everyone is tremendously enthusiastic about the performances.

"The Barber of Seville is good, family entertainment and on the Friday you can bring your children and let them run about and fidget and enjoy their evening in the garden.

"It is also a good night for groups who want to enjoy the opera. The Saturday performance will be more formal.

"On both evenings the grounds of the hotel will be open well before each performance so the audience can enjoy a picnic - but people are advised to bring some warm clothes because the evenings can get pretty chilly."

The Barber of Seville is one of Rossini's most popular works. A comedy of love and misunderstanding, it follows the lives of the Count Almaviva and the beautiful Rosina, who are in love - much to the fury of Rosina's guardian, Bartolo, who wants her for himself.

Disguises

Enter crafty barber Figaro, who fans the flames of the affair between Almaviva and Rosina by encouraging the count to sneak into his amour's home in a variety of disguises.

Bertolo has many wealthy and powerful supporters too, but despite this, the fates - with a little help from the ubiquitous Figaro - play fair.

The Barber of Seville is being performed on Friday, June 21, and Saturday, June 22, with performances at 7pm.

Tickets in advance are £12 plus concessions and family deals for the Friday performance and all seats are £16 on the Saturday.

If bought on the night, entry costs £16 plus concessions (Friday) and £20 all seats (Saturday).

For details and credit card bookings call (01305) 871457 or write to Abbotsbury Music Festival, 9a West Street, Abbotsbury, Dorset DT3 4JT.