Everything was set for a glorious start to Britain s finest annual opera festival in Sussex: the sun was shining, the lawn was immaculate and ready for the operatic hordes to descend for their picnics during the traditional long interval and a complimentary glass of Nyetimber English champagne awaited each of us.
Mariame Clément’s thoughtful staging brings depth and insights but feels, at times, at odds with the score’s sensuality and demonic fire. In the pit, conductor Evan Rogister favours speed over dramatic weight.