An opera based on Charles Dicken’s A Tale of Two Cities premieres in Toronto next week. Its just one of three operas presented at the 30th anniversary of the Summer Opera Lyric Theatre Festival. The line-up also includes two other operas; Offenbach’s The Tales of Hoffmann and Handel’s Julius Caesar. Drawing from an all-Canadian cast, the annual event stars tenor James McLean, composer Victor Davies and collaborator Eugene Benson. James McLean visited The New Classical FM and told host Bill Anderson the interpretation of A Tale of Two Cities is full of beautiful melodies that will leave people humming. He says composer Davies spins a tragic but uplifting story based on the classic. The festival at the Robert Gill Theatre at the University of Toronto runs July 29th to August 3rd. For ticket information visit the St. Lawrence Centre online at ww.STLC.com