NATIONAL Trust properties in Wales will come alive with the sound of music this summer with an array of live theatre and musical performances.

Visitors will be able to enjoy everything from lakeside concerts at Stackpole to acapella recitals on the lawns of Dyffryn Gardens with Erddig and Chirk Castle both hosting theatre and cinema nights.

On Saturday, June 15, a performance of Wuthering Heights will be held at the outdoor theatre in Erddig's walled Rose Garden, while between July 12 and September 8, the house will stage The Brothers Yorke, a 30 minute play by award winning playwright and writer Peter Read, which tells the story of the last two squires of Erddig, Simon and Philip.

On July 13, Erddig's outdoor theatre will host a performance of The Secret Garden while on August 9, a performance of Pride and Prejudice takes place.

Meanwhile, Chirk Castle's outdoor cinema will screen Monty Python and the Holy Grail on August 1 with a performance of Shakespeare's Richard III scheduled for August 15 and 16. On August 27, the outdoor theatre will host Mister Magnolia, based on the book by Quentin Blake.

A National Trust spokesperson added that each venue has a unique history of music and performance going back centuries.

He said: "The Yorke family loved to entertain and were born performers, putting on plays and concerts for their many guests. "Philip Yorke II put all his savings into buying the organ in the music room when he was just 15 years old in 1865 and the last squire was well known locally for his virtuoso skills in playing the musical saw.

"Back in the 17th century, the Myddelton family at Chirk, commissioned the production and performance of Masques, a form of festive, courtly entertainment common in that century. In more recent times the castle was tenanted by the Howard De Walden family, who were keen supporters of Welsh theatre and music and used to host yearly family pantomimes at Christmas time."

For more information visit

www.nationaltrust.org.uk