Narnia transforms into 1930s Paris for this year’s Tonbridge Castle Festival of Music. Opera is the theme for 2012, beginning with CS Lewis’ Prince Caspian, followed by Puccini’s La Boheme and Rossini’s Barber of Seville.

Professional company Opera Brava will perform the three works and will be joined by 90 children from the town’s Slade Primary School for the opening night on Thursday, June 14.

As well as learning about how to put on a production and designing and making props, the children have been rehearsing and singing so they can perform alongside the professionals.

The festival turns Bohemian on June 15 for Puccini’s tale of a group of impoverished Bohemians. The opera centres around the tragic love affair between the seamstress, Mimi, and Rodolfo, a poet. Frivolity, joy, tenderness and sorrow come to the fore.

The festival comes to a close on July 16 with Rossini’s witty masterpiece, as fresh today as it was to its first Italian audiences in 1816. Tonbridge & Malling Borough Council’s Maria Heslop said: “This is an exciting opportunity for anyone who is new to the world of opera to experience it at an affordable price. La Bohème is perfect for seasoned opera-goers and first timers and the Barber of Seville will make for a really enjoyable evening.

“We are pleased to be working with Opera Brava again this year and I am sure that the pupils from Slade Primary School will have great fun taking part and discovering the joy of opera.”

Tickets for Prince Caspian are £10, children £5, families £25. La Boheme and the Barber of Seville tickets cost £35, in advance £27.50, children £15, families £80, in advance £65. Box office 01732 770929.