ENGLISH Touring Opera returns to Lighthouse in Poole next month with its most ambitious season yet - performances of three full-scale productions of operas by Mozart, Britten and Tippett, one of which features the voice of Homeland and Band of Brothers star Damien Lewis.

The company’s season, themed around Ancient and Modern Myths, begins on March 13 with Mozart’s final opera The Magic Flute, whose wit and charm has enchanted music and theatre lovers of all ages for hundreds of years.

The opera tells the tale of a terrifying and joyful journey in pursuit of love, wisdom and happiness, with a beautiful score ranging from the show-stopping arias of the Queen of the Night to jolly folk tunes.

ETO is reviving Liam Steel’s glamorous production, first performed in 2009.

The series continues on March 14 with Paul Bunyan, a collaboration between composer Benjamin Britten and poet W. H. Auden, often described as a cross between an opera and a musical.

The music incorporates a wide variety of styles, including folk songs, blues and hymns.

This new production recreates the great myth of the North American frontier in a charming, dreamlike adventure which features lumberjacks, singing geese and cats, good and bad cooks and an accountant.

Paul Bunyan himself is a legendary folk hero- a gigantic lumberjack, the American equivalent of Robin Hood or King Arthur. For ETO’s production the part has been pre-recorded by Emmy and Golden Globe Award-winning actor Damian Lewis.

The company’s final night in Poole on March 15 gives audiences a rare chance to see Michael Tippett’s opera King Priam, a tale of gods and men, character and destiny set in the world of classical myth in the besieged city of Troy.

James Conway, ETO’s General Director, said: “This season is full of challenges for us, but I am really excited about it. There is something thrilling about being on the edge of what you can do; part of it is the feeling that you need the good will of the audience to make it happen.”

All operas are sung in full costume with an orchestral accompaniment.

The three performances are at 7.30pm with pre-show talks at 6.30pm. Call 0844406 8666 or visit lighthousepoole.co.uk for full details and bookings.