Come next summer, the Wainwright dynasty will reign over the Royal Opera House, as Rufus, sibling Martha and father Loudon will all take to the majestic stage between 18th and 23rd July.

Rufus, whose sixth studio album, "All Days are Nights: Songs for Lulu", came out earlier this year, will take the lead on this five-date residency , baptised "Five Nights of Velvet, Glamour and Guilt" and treat the audience to two shows - 'Rufus Does Judy!' - orchestrated by the Britten Sinfonia and conducted by Stephen Oremus on the 18th and the 22nd July 2011. The two shows are a staging of Judy Garland's successful 1961 comeback show at the Carnegie Theatre.

Sister Martha joins in on the 19th (no stranger to the venue, having sung with The Royal Ballet in Kurt Weill's 'Seven Deadly Sins'), with father Loudon (who also released a new album this year: "10 Songs for the New Depression") joining his son on the 21st July - the first time the two will have performed together in the UK.

On the 23rd, Rufus will close the series of shows at the Covent Garden venue with a concert rendition of his acclaimed opera, 'Prima Donna', about a day in the life of an opera singer

(performed by Janis Kelly on the night), anxiously preparing for her comeback, who falls in love with a journalist. Prima Donna was Rufus' first ever opera and was premiered at the 2009 Manchester International Festival.

Tickets for "Five Nights of Velvet, Glamour and Guilt" range £25 to £100 (+ booking fee) per night and are on sale now from www.roh.org.uk so, bring on the nights...

Solange Moffi