SIR Arthur Conan Doyle’s former hill-top residence in Hindhead is to host a glittering event to raise money for Stepping Stones School, which is now based there.

The hillside will come alive with the sound of music on September 16, almost a year to the day after town MP Jeremy Hunt reopened the restored home of the creator of Sherlock Holmes, together with its state-of-the-art extension, as the new site for senior pupils with special needs.

Parent David Forbes-Nixon, pictured, who heads the DFN charitable foundation that purchased Undershaw as a ruin and paid for its conservation and linked extension, is staging an opera in itsgrounds, in what he hopes will be a “mini-Glyndebourne” event.

Leading outdoor touring company Opera Brava, which specialise in pop-up events, will construct the stage and seating on the school’s multi-use games area for a one-night only production of The Marriageof Figaro.

Doors open at 4.30pm for the black-tie event. Opera lovers have the choice of buying a ticket for £65 and doing their own catering, or paying £150 for a priority seat and a three-course dinner with wine served inside the school.

“The school is thriving,” Mr Forbes-Nixon said. “What we want to do is to host a small number of high-quality events, with all the profits going to Stepping Stones.

“We are holding an opera for 250 people in the first year. The Marriage of Figaro is one of my favourite operas and it should be a lovely evening. We are very excited to be partnering with Opera Brava.

“This was where Conan Doyle wrote The Hound of the Baskervilles. We are also trying to showcase the heritage of Undershaw in after school and holiday time events. Next year’s big event will be Chapterhouse Theatre Company’s production The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes.

“We want to invite the community in to enjoy this magnificent building, which is something I’m sure Conan Doyle would have liked too. There are stories of big fancy dress parties he held here.

“We would like Undershaw to be a centre for performing arts. My son Charlie, who is a pupil here, is loving it.”

• A silent auction will also take place during the evening. For more information and to book tickets go to www.undershaw.org

or call event manager Tracey Greenholt on 01428 604650.