AMY Johnson, the Hull girl who became Britain’s most famous female aviator, is the subject of a new opera at Bridlington Spa next Friday.

Her pioneering flying feats and world records have provided inspiration for Amy’s Last Dive, a contemporary opera composed by Cheryl Frances-Hoad and written and directed by Adam Strickson.

Soprano Natalie Raybould will take the role of Amy in the world premiere production, which will be conducted by Hong Kong-born Jonathan Lo, the 25-year-old musical director of the Sheffield Philharmonic, University of Southampton Sinfonietta and Opera Seria.

Rambler, hockey player, pilot, wife and mechanic, Amy Johnson was a celebrity in her time and the first female pilot to fly solo from Britain to Australia in 1930 at the age of 26.

Mystery shrouds her tragic death only 11 years later when she was forced to bail out of a flight in adverse weather conditions during a mission for the Government. She drowned in the Thames Estuary, although her body was never found.

Frances-Hoad and Strickson’s sung drama looks back at Amy’s tempestuous life and asks how her racy and risky journey relates to modern-day ambitions and expectations.

The opera has musical influences ranging from 1930s Big Band music to pop songstress Lily Allen and next Friday’s performance will feature students from Withernsea High School and Bridlington Community Chorus, alongside Natalie and the musicians.

Composer Cheryl, winner of two British Composer Awards in 2010, says: “Amy Johnson was a fantastic muse for the piece as she was someone who was extremely forward-thinking in her views and who took risks.

“That’s what I’ve tried to do with the score for this production, playing with people’s traditional expectations of an ‘opera’.

“The work takes inspiration from a great variety of musical styles from contemporary classical music, through 1930s dance hall numbers to modern popular genres such as House and Dubstep.

Cheryl and Natalie visited the Amy Johnson Room at the Sewerby Hall Museum and Art Gallery in Bridlington as part of their research.

“Seeing the photographs of Amy and her husband and the many souvenirs and awards presented to them over the years provided a real insight into the life of this incredible person,” said Natalie.

Amy’s Last Dive is part of imove, the Legacy Trust UK’s programme for Yorkshire as part of the Cultural Olympiad’s celebration of human movement.

For tickets for next Friday’s 1.30pm matinee or 7.30pm performance, phone 01262 678258 or book online at thespabridlington.com.

In addition, the Workshop Theatre, Leeds, has a 9pm performance tonight; tickets, 0113 343 8730.

“Amy Johnson not only pushed the boundaries of what was achievable by a woman at the time, but was an example of how, with enough drive and ambition, we can accomplish our dreams,” said Natalie.