THIS is the stuff of pop. A group of five singers - beautiful and sexy, the publicity machine says - are joined to joined together by a major record label in a six million pound deal for five albums.

Some of them know each other from before; the fifth member is talent-spotted by the record company performing in South Africa, and the international line-up is complete.

The difference this time is that the marketing machine is not directed at pop but opera singers.

Amici are "the world's first opera band", and after following the Russell Watson path in performing at big football occasions, Brits Jo Appleby, Geoff Sewell and David Habbin, New Zealander Nick Garrett and South African Tsakene Valentine are launching their first tour at the Grand Opera House, York, tomorrow.

Amici's debut album, Forever, The Opera Band, has already grazed the bottom end of the pop charts and made number two in the classical charts, with its interpretations of Nessun Dorma, Zadok The Priest and an Italian translation of the biggest-selling pop song of all time, Unchained Melody, newly re-named Senza Catene. This initial success has prompted seat sales of more than 600 for tomorrow: testimony that the marketing already is paying off.

Londoner Nick, a former member of the Swingle Singers, explains how Amici came together. "We've been going for a year now, playing private gigs, corporate performances and support slots, and it all came about organically, from four of us knowing each other on the opera circuit," he says.

"It started with us singing at Twickenham and the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff at English rugby internationals, and though I can't remember the opposition, England won all of them, which made it even better!," he says.

Come January, Amici will be launched upon America. "We'll be going there to do lots of television shows," says Nick. "Up till now, we've been very keen to stress our opera credentials with proper singing and really classically trained voices, and we'll be doing that on tour, singing live to prove our authenticity, but it will become more pop than opera, with more rhythm."

No doubt that is with an eye to the American market. "The second album will be more pop orientated," says Nick. "We're a pop band but a pop band with classical singing. I see opera as something different. I'm not an opera singer when I do this; I'm a classical singer singing pop.

"I've been singing opera for 13 years and this is not a mission to sell opera to the people, but if they want to go to five hours of Wagner after this, then great."

Amici, Grand Opera House, York, November 1 at 7.30pm. Tickets: £16.50; ring 0870 606 3595.

Updated: 09:34 Friday, October 31, 2003