Here come the girls... just don't tell the opera purists that the Mediaeval Baebes are in town.

THEY'VE performed sell-out concerts all over the world and sold more than 450,000 records, the perfect answer to anybody who claims classical group, the Mediaeval Baebes, are only really known for their sexy image.
The Baebes - who take inspiration from Medieval texts and set them to original scores using classical and Medieval instruments – have had to battle with accusations of playing on their alluring image to sell records.
Dubbed “opera babes” owing to their lipstick pouts and cleavage, the group found themselves at the centre of establishment row when they were accused by leading barritone Sir Thomas Allen of “dumbing down” classical music.
But tomorrow night (Thursday), the sultry singers will forget all about the cynics and perform at St Pancras Church in Euston Road as part of a nine-date UK tour of churches and cathedrals.
Helen Marcus, opera buff and former organiser of the Hampstead and Highgate music festival, said: “These groups have arisen in response to the commonly held myth about classical music. People are denied it, they are told they wouldn't like it. It's a shame they have to market themselves as 'opera babes,' but I would not criticise them for it. I'm in favour of anything which brings classical music to a wider audience. If they get people to hear the music and realise they would like to hear more of it, they are doing a great thing whether babes or not.”
Doors open at 7.15pm. Tickets cost £17.50.

JOSIE HINTON