THE Sorcerer will be performed by Blackburn’s Gilbert and Sullivan Society at the Thwaites Empire Theatre in February.

It is a two-act comedy and was the British duo’s third operatic collaboration.

The plot of The Sorcerer is based on a Christmas story, An Elixir of Love, that Gilbert wrote for The Graphic magazine in 1876.

A young man, Alexis, is obsessed with idea of love levelling all ranks and social distinctions. To promote his beliefs, he invites the proprietor of JW Wells & Co., Family Sorcerers, to brew a love potion.

This causes everyone in the village to fall in love with the first person they see and results in the pairing of comically mismatched couples. In the end, Wells must sacrifice his life to break the spell.

The opera opened in November, 1877 at the Opera Comique in London, where it ran for 178 performances.

It was considered a success by the standards of that time and encouraged the collaborators to write their next opera, HMS Pinafore.

It is being performed from February 24 to 28 (7.30pm) and tickets are £12 (£10 concessions). They are available on 01254 685500 or www.thwaitesempiretheatre.co.uk