THE Royal Opera House Thurrock Community Chorus will perform with opera stars at London’s “biggest and broadest annual choral celebration”.

The invitation to the prestigious Brandenburg Choral Festival came following the chorus’s sell-out appearances at the High House Production Park, in Purfleet, last year.

Performing with the Community Chorus will be international soloists Luis Gomes, Anush Hovhannisyan, pictured, Rachel Kelly and Yuriy Yurchuk, from the Royal Opera’s Jette Parker Young Artists Programme.

The Sunday, April 26, concert, at St James Church, in Sussex Gardens, west London, is called Opera Choruses and Folksongs and the programme includes Brindisi from Verdi’s La traviata, Habanera from Bizet’s popular Carmen and the Humming Chorus from Madama Butterfly.

The community chorus has gone from strength to strength in the last few years.

Chorus member Mike Ostler said: “It is inspiring to be part of a concert comprising two contrasting and complimentary styles of singing.

“The support of a London audience, for the most part new to us, is greatly appreciated.”

Armenian soprano Anush Hovhannisyan said: “Having shared the stage with members of the Royal Opera House Thurrock Community Chorus last year, I am thrilled to join this great group of music lovers again.

“I am looking forward to all the fun and joy that we are going to have on this project.”

The festival for amateur choirs opened in December and runs through until May.

To book, call the box office on 020 7766 1100 or visit roh.org.uk/communitychorus