A SPECIAL take on Burns’ The Jolly Beggars will be performed in Irvine’s Townhouse this week.

The Scots Opera Project are preparing to celebrate Robert Burns with a special opera performance of the poet’s masterpiece The Jolly Beggars at 2pm on Saturday, January 26.

Irvine Director and Singer David Douglas spearheaded the creation of this new production and has put together a team of professional singers and a community chorus.

He said: “I have wanted to produce a new modern version of The Jolly Beggars for a few years now and I am really glad that we were able to make it happen this year.

“The chorus sound fantastic and they have worked extremely hard learning this new piece.”

From 2013 the Scots Opera Project has been presenting opera performances in Scots and Gaelic for which they were recently nominated for the prestigious Scots Language Award and a Scottish Gaelic Award. The organisation also holds regular workshops and concerts within the Townhouse and throughout Scotland.

Paisley composer Alan Fleming-Baird set the Burns text to new music with language support from Creative Scotland’s Scots Scriever Dr Michael Dempster to produce a new version of this well known cantata.

It will be performed in The Burns Suite, upstairs inside the Townhouse – the perfect setting for an intimate performance, with it’s natural light and beautiful acoustics.

Audience members will have the chance to hear professional opera singers bringing these iconic characters to life and a strong chorus made up of singers from all over Scotland.

The show has been supported by The Hope Scott Trust