ENGLISH Touring Opera is returning to York Theatre Royal for the first time in six years this week to perform a new production of Rossini’s The Barber Of Seville tomorrow and a revival of Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin on Wednesday.

Both operas will be performed in English with a 32-piece orchestra and in lavish period costume, and Rossini’s opera is directed by Thomas Guthrie, who was raised near York and studied at the University of York.

Eugene Onegin, a romantic opera based on an Alexander Pushkin story set in 19th century St Petersburg, will feature Welsh soprano Sarah-Jane Davies as Tatyana opposite Nicholas Lester in the title role of Onegin.

Sarah-Jane, who represented Wales in the 2007 BBC Cardiff Singer Of The World competition, says: “This is my first time with English Touring Opera (ETO). I’ve predominantly been with the English National Opera (ENO) Young Artist programme, which I joined in 2003 after graduating from the Royal College of Music.

“The ENO gave me some lovely juicy roles like Pamina in The Magic Flute and the Contessa in The Marriage Of Figaro and I did plenty of Handel, which is a good basis for a young singer.”

She is delighted to be making her ETO bow as Tatyana. “I’m a lyric soprano, which is very well-suited to this role as it’s a lyric opera with a dynamic range,” says Sarah-Jane.

“This is a slight development in repertoire for me, having been based in Mozart and Handel and those earlier opera works. I’m moving into the romantic and dramatic period and I’m loving it. It really stretches your voice with so much emotion written into the music.”

Describing the character of Tatyana, she sums her up as: “Shy, innocent, but quite a strong little thing, and a complete contrast to her sister, Olga, who is a coquette and a party girl and very assured.

“Tatyana is much more into her books, whereas Olga wants to be the centre of attention and is more outgoing. Tatyana would rather take a back seat.”

Cards on the table time, Sarah-Jane: who are you more like, Tatyana or Olga? “I’m definitely more of an Olga. I would say I’m more gregarious than Tatyana is, but I certainly relate to the side of her that gets immersed in the romantic realm, whether I’m reading novels or seeing films. “Certainly I’ve had to tone down my extrovert nature, though, to play her.”

Sarah-Jane, who lives in London, will be singing in York for the first time on Wednesday but has a couple of Yorkshire credits to her name.

“I sang Elijah with the Orchestra of Opera North in Leeds Town Hall, and I’ve also sung with the Huddersfield Choral Society, but not in York before,” she says. “It’s such a beautiful city, it’s a shame we can’t be there for longer.”

Already in her engagements diary are upcoming concerts in France and Switzerland. “Then we’re talking about me doing an opera in Dubrovnik in Croatia,” she says. “That’s potentially in the pipeline.”

• Tickets for the 7.30pm performances can be booked on 01904 623568 or yorktheatreroyal.co.uk