In a move designed to make opera more accessible to Island families, Vashon Opera has announced that low-priced tickets to its upcoming production of “The Barber of Seville” will be sold to families and young people.

The tickets, $15, are for a dress rehearsal scheduled to take place at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 8, at Vashon High School Theater.

Regular performances of the opera will take place at 8 p.m. Friday, Sept. 10, and 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 12. Tickets for those performances cost $32.

All tickets, including discounted tickets and season tickets, are on sale at Books by the Way, Vashon Bookshop and www. vashonopera.org.

Jennifer Krikawa, artistic director of the opera company, said she hopes families and youth attending middle school and high school will take advantage of the special performance on Sept. 8.

Krikawa, who went to her own first opera when she was a junior in high school, said, “I would like to give the chance to all the young people on Vashon to experience opera, and ‘The Barber of Seville’ is a perfect introduction. It’s fun, and the music is glorious.”

Krikawa is also excited about an upcoming free lecture by opera buff Norm Hollingshead about “The Barber of Seville,” set to take place at 2 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 29, at Vashon Methodist Church.

“Norm is amazing, “ said Krikawa. “You have a great time listening to him, but you also leave with knowledge that makes the opera more enjoyable. It’s fun to learn about the intricacies and then go see the opera and know for yourself those special details, jokes or plot tensions.”