OperaCamion performs The Barber of Seville in Rome's suburbs.

Rome's opera house is staging nine performances of Rossini's The Barber of Seville from the back of a truck in suburbs this summer as part of its OperaCamion project.

The initiative sees the truck transformed into a stage, bringing the orchestra, singers, lights and costumes directly to the local piazza of districts far away from the city centre, all for free.

Rossini's masterpiece will be presented in "a streamlined but complete version", the city said in a statement, "in a lively and immediate visual style, inspired by the imagery of the circus, the commedia dell'arte and the street."

The Rome opera house orchestra will perform in front of the mobile theatre, conducted by Carlo Donadio, and the production will be directed by Manu Lalli.

"OperaCamion is one of the most original and inclusive experiences of our programme, designed to bring opera out of the theatre and conventional places and into the heart of the city's neighbourhoods", said Francesco Giambrone, superintendent of the Teatro dell'Opera di Roma.

Now in its fifth edition, OperaCamion will make nine stops around the suburbs, from 25 May until 22 June.

All shows start at 21.15 and admission is free, subject to availability. For full programme details see the Teatro dell'Opera di Roma website. Photo Roma Capitale.