Of the many haunting locations in Aberdeenshire, Bennachie is one of the most memorable sites in the region.
It's a windswept, untamed place with an atmosphere all its own: one where you are transported back hundreds of years and where you can stand close to the ancient Maiden Stone and imagine you have been returned to the 9th century.
Joe Stollery, a third-year music student at the University of Aberdeen, is passionate about Bennachie, so much so that he has written an opera, based on the legend of the Maiden Stone.
And he has joined forces with Huntly's Catriona Yule, who has created a libretto in the Doric language.
It's a bold project by the duo and they have also secured the services of the distinguished Aberdeen-born soprano Jillian Bain Christie for the launch of the work next month.
There are no half measures with these people: The Maiden Stone will be staged live at Bennachie on September 5 and 6.
"It was my love for writing music and the outdoors which inspired me to compose this short opera," said Stollery.
"The twist on the story has it that a stranger - the Devil - who is disguised as a man (with the name Dirk) asks for the hand of a maiden (called Marn) in marriage.
"She challenges him to build a path to the top of Bennachie before she finishes baking a batch of bannocks.....who will win?
"It's going to be part of the year of celebration for the 40th anniversary of the Baillies of Bennachie and is being promoted by soundfestival.
"I've also teamed up with Catriona and Jillian. And Colin Brockie, another renowned singer from the north-east of Scotland, will play the part of Dirk/The Devil.
"We'll also have a string quartet, flute and percussion and all these musicians will be from the area. It is an exciting project."
There is no doubting the pedigree of the performers. Christie studied music in Aberdeen and London and is currently studying at Trinity Laban Conservatoire in Paris.
Brockie, meanwhile, is a regular performer with the Glyndebourne Festival Chorus.
But the biggest challenge facing the production may come from the elements, as Stollery has admitted.
"The opera is taking place on location, so we're hoping it doesn't rain or snow. But we'll still go ahead unless it's really bad," he stated.
"We did a site visit recently and my dad took a video of the two of us talking about the opera and the different locations for every scene. It was very windy, but it always is on Bennachie!"
It promises to be an exhilarating experience. And with local schoolchildren taking part - as bannocks - this should be another means of spreading the Doric language.
