A Suffolk singer says she is excited to be able to perform to full crowds this week for the first time in 18 months.
Christina Johnston, from Felixstowe, will be performing at Wherstead Park on Saturday, having not performed in front of a full live audience since March 2020.
For the past year, Ms Johnston has spent much of her time performing from her home over video and also performed for local care home residents during lockdown.
In May, she got her first taste of a live audience as she performed to a half-capacity crowd at the Theatre Royal in Bury St Edmunds, but this week marks her first performance since the final set of restrictions eased.
"I'm quite excited," said Ms Johnston.
"It's going to be lovely to see people in front of me.
"It makes such a difference when you are singing."
At her gig she will perform a range of pieces from the likes of Mozart and Puccini as well as famous songs such as O Sole Mio, World in Union, Time to Say Goodbye and more.
She will also be performing songs from musicals such as the King and I.
Ms Johnston said she was particularly looking forward to being able to interact with her audience, something which her virtual concerts have helped her to improve on.
"One thing I learned is to speak," said Ms Johnston.
"I was always too nervous to talk to an audience."
Although she is excited about her latest performance, this year has not been without its struggles, however, as Ms Johnston has continued to see her concerts cancelled due to the pandemic.
Two concerts starring Ms Johnston, tenor Russell Watson and the Royal Philharmonic orchestra in July were cancelled and had to be moved to 2022.
"Thing are still a little uncertain," said Ms Johnston.
"Things are very slow at the moment."
She said that she hoped things would get better from September onwards.
After her Wherstead Park performance, Ms Johnston will be performing with Russell Watson next week.
Following this, Ms Johnston hopes to be able to perform more in Suffolk.
She said: "Being a local Suffolk girl I need to start singing to my community."
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