A BACUP-born opera singer is scaling the heights of his profession with his latest international performance.

Rossendale’s Sean Ruane was flown to Barbados to perform at the 20/20 cricket World Cup less than 12 months after opening England’s successful Ashes series.

And though the Valley tenor took centre stage at the Caribbean competiton, his visit was cut short so he could attend the UK premier of One Night In Turin tonight in which he performs opera classic Nessun Dorma.

The documentary-film is based on Pete Davies’ best selling book about England’s World Cup adventures in Italy in 1990.

The tournament is famous for Gazza’s tears, Lineker’s cool finishing and the team missing out on the final after being beaten on penalties.

Sean said: “It is a busy time but it was wonderful to be invited to the 20/20. I would have loved to have been able to stay longer but I am very busy at the moment.

“Being asked to contribute to One night in Turin is great and I will never forget Italia 90.

“Nessun Dorma was the theme used for football coverage by the BBC and it’s one of those songs that has turned so many people on to opera.

“I have been asked to sing it all over the country and it is forever linked, certainly by football fans, to that summer’s World Cup.”

The 41-year-old former St Theodore’s RC High School pupil is squeezing his sporting commitments around rehearsals for Carmen which he will be performing at Opera Holland Park in June, taking the role of Don Jose.

Sean, who still lives in Rossendale, has worked all over Europe including the Royal Opera House and Covent Garden and is developing a reputation as one of the leading tenors of his generation.

Director of opera studies at the Royal Northern College of Music, Stefan Janski, taught Sean during his training in Manchester.

He said: “Sean was a super student and during his undergraduate and postgraduate study years he developed into a highly talented young professional artist with an individual performance personality conveying dramatic intensity, charisma and dynamic authority on stage.

“He has the looks, the voice, the talent, the integrity together with a positive professional determination to succeed in the commercial world of the Italianate tenor. He deserves his ongoing success.”