Venue: Coade Theatre, Bryanston, Blandford Forum

Dorset Opera Festival's bold decision to programme Massenet's obscure opera about a medieval Castilian hero proves to be a major success.

It's not easy to imagine a freezing Parisian attic when you're in the middle of the rolling Dorset countryside in a baking summer, but Dorset Opera's excellent production of Puccini's La bohème is atmospheric enough to do so.

Dorset Opera's second opera of their season saw a fiendishly good performance from Mark S Doss as Méphistophélès supported by a strong cast in Christopher Cowell's economical production.

A simple, but funny production with a strong cast and an enthusiastic chorus brought Rossini's comedy to life.

Hot on the heels of its Eugene Onegin, full of potential marriages that never reach the altar, Dorset Opera put on an excellent production of an opera with a successful, slick and murderous power couple.

Deep in Dorset, Anna Patalong gives a powerful Tatyana, ably supported by a well-taught chorus in an English translation of Tchaikovsky's opera of hearts and friendships broken.