An opera based on a series of poems by poet and former Trowbridge Rector George Crabbe is being staged in Bath next month.

Benjamin Britten’s Peter Grimes has strong links to both Bath and Trowbridge, as Bath Opera’s director Neil Kirkman discovered while doing background research.

Britten was given a book of English poems by Crabbe by a friend during the Second World War, and became so obsessed with one poem entitled The Borough – a dark tale of a fisherman – that he decided to turn it into an opera.

The Rev Crabbe, who died in 1832, left Suffolk in 1814 and moved to be Rector of Trowbridge at the parish church of St James.

Crabbe’s biographer Neil Powell says that he spent little time in Trowbridge, finding it a ‘dull place’, and was to be found most of the time staying at the Castle and Ball Inn on Northgate Street in Bath.

Mr Kirkman said: “In deciding how to stage Peter Grimes, the director has to decide how far back he wants to go for his reference material.

“The poem is much darker and more sinister than any direct reference which is actually in the text used in the opera.

“I had decided that the essence of the opera lay in the brilliant exposition of ‘English’ characters – some pompous, some snobbish, some on the make, some decent.

“However, I wanted to check that I wasn’t missing anything important and so I went back to Crabbe himself and was surprised to learn that he had very strong connections with Bath.”

Mr Kirkman added: “I was amazed that here I was, working at this opera at home halfway between Trowbridge and Bath, to read that the originator of the story would have driven right past my house on the daily coach from Trowbridge in 1814.”

Bath Opera’s production will be on February 19, 20 and 21 at The Wroughton Theatre, which is part of the King Edward’s School campus in Bath.

Peter Grimes will be sung by Rupert Drury, from Holt, who is director of music at King Edward's School.

The leading lady is Julia O’Connor, from Calne, who plays Ellen Orford.

For more information, visit www.bathopera.org