OPERA North comes to The Lowry with four separate productions this week -- including the company's first staging of Puccini's tragic masterpiece Tosca in more than a decade.

This new production marks director Christopher Alden's debut with the company, and his contemporary staging of the classic promises not to pull any punches.

The opera -- a heady mix of love, lust, cruelty, politics and religion -- will be performed in Italian and will include English Surtitles.

In addition to Tosca, the programme will include a new production of the Richard Strauss masterpiece, Der Rosenkavalier. David McVicar's sumptuous period staging of the opera guarantees a lavish night out.

The opera is perfectly poised between comedy and pathos, contrasting the optimism and passion of young love with the sobering effect of time.

Jenufa is also on the menu for The Lowry. Leos Janacek's intense story of love, jealousy and sacrifice is by turns, harrowing, heart-wrenching and starkly tragic. The fourth item on the programme is a concert performance of Troilus and Cressida by William Walton. The company performs this as part of the centenary celebrations of William Walton held throughout 2002.

Der Rosenkavalier is being staged at The Lowry on November 5 and 9 (6.30pm). The remainder of the programme which begin 7.15pm, includes Jenufa on November 6, Tosca on November 7, and the concert of Troilus and Cressida on November 8.