AN OPERA inspired by the world’s fastest steam locomotive will be premiered in the North-East as part of an annual brass festival which returns next week (Friday, July 11).

John Kefala Kerr’s Steamsong, inspired by the 1938 Class A4 Pacific train Mallard, will be staged at Durham’s Gala Theatre during the eighth Brass: Durham International Festival, which runs from July 11 to 20.

The award-winning Newcastle-based composer and writer was inspired by his time as composer-in-residence for the Mallard 75 event held at Locomotion, in Shildon, County Durham, earlier this year.

“I got a very real sense of the emotions Mallard in particular and steam trains in general generated in people,” he said.

Mr Kerr also took inspiration from a comment made by Joseph Duddington, the driver of the Mallard when it set a new land speed record.

“He said: ‘I gave Mallard her head and she jumped to it like a living thing’.

“That made me thing, not about what separates from living beings from objects, but what connects us to them and, in this case, it was steam.”

Steamsong will be performed by ten singers and seven musicians on July 12 and 13 at 7.30pm. Tickets are £12 for adults, £10 for concessions and £8 for Gala Friends.

Elsewhere during the festival, indie rockers British Sea Power will premiere their Sea of Brass show, featuring brass re-workings of their hits, at the Gala on Thursday, July 17; stunning visual effects will seemingly lift the roof off Durham Cathedral for the multimedia spectacular Fractal Sparks on Friday, July 18; and the BBC Big Band will be in concert, also on Friday, July 18.

Other acts confirmed include the Brighouse and Rastrick Brass Band, The Stars From The Commitments, Onyx Brass and Jon Faddis.

Streets of Brass will return, bringing free brass performances to the streets of County Durham; Chester-le-Street and Spennymoor will host the family-friendly Big Brass Bash; and Crook will welcome funky brass acts for the Brass Samba Blow Out.

The Durham Miners’ Gala will be held on Saturday, July 12.

For more information, full listings or to book tickets, visit brassfestival.co.uk