THE Operetta Company, Farnworth continues to do what it does best ­— bringing back the older and much-loved musicals.

And next month it brings Strauss' delightful operetta The Gypsy Baron to the stage with celebrated star of Bolton's theatre Allen Christey-Casson playing the colourful Baron Barinkay.

Allen will be joined be award-winning Claire Unsworth, the Gypsy Princess Saffi, who the Gypsy Baron falls in love with.

With Allen's superb tenor, and Claire's wonderful voice, the two will be recreating the well-known tunes from the operetta.

Jean Forrester, the theatre company's publicity officer, said: "With only four weeks before we present The Gypsy Baron, rehearsals are at full pace and are going well

"We have some excellent comedy and with the wonderful Strauss music score, I'm sure our audiences will have a most enjoyable evening."

Set in Hungary in the 18th Century, this is the story of the marriage of a landowner, returned from exile, and a gypsy girl who is revealed as the daughter of a Turkish Pasha, and the rightful owner of hidden treasure.

The show involves a fortune-telling Romany Queen, an absurdly self-important Mayor, a rascally Commissioner, a Military Governor, a band of gypsies and a troop of Hussars.

The Gypsy Baron is The Operetta Company's twelfth production after Allen formed the society to perform a semi-stage older musical shows, which are not often seen on the amateur dramatic scene.

And the company has gone from strength-strength, achieving a real coup last year when it staged The Desert Song.

Jean said: "The newer shows need younger people in the main, so a semi-staged version of an older show gives the people who have been singing for years, to continue their hobby without the pressure of having to dance around the stage"

She added: "Our members thoroughly enjoy rehearsing and performing these 'golden oldies'. They get a 'proper sing' and with such an excellent Musical Director as Dr Robert Aston ­— known by many singers and musicians in the Bolton area ­—who has a lovely way of putting us through our paces ­— the months we spend rehearsing are a delight.

"We have an excellent line up of principals, -- who will all be in costume, and a super chorus, and we are all looking forward to a great week, or four days -performing the Gypsy Baron, and we hope that it will be as successful as last years "The Desert Song" which was a real bonus for us to obtain permission to perform it after over 20 years as being 'unavailable'."

The Gypsy Baron opens at Trinity Church Hall, Market Street, Farnworth on March 6 and runs until March

Shows start at 7.30pm from Wednesday to Friday with one performance of 3pm on Saturday.

Tickets can be booked at seaty.co.uk