Artiste: Catharine Rogers

While major opera houses mount a dazzling variety of new Verdi, Wagner and Britten productions, a smaller local company, Surrey Opera, has taken it upon themselves to remember George Lloyd by producing his “neglected” first opera, Iernin.

From the book of Tobit, Tobias and the Angel is a story from the Apocrypha which is not usually printed in Bibles anymore, due to concerns about its authenticity. However it is an inspirational story which lends itself well to music, and Jonathan Dove’s adaptation is definitely very captivating.The story sees young Tobit of Nineveh and Sara of Ecbatana both praying for their suffering to end.