FOUR STARS

Longborough Festival Opera has since 2007 been steadily unveiling compelling productions, under conductor Anthony Negus, of the four operas that make up Der Ring des Nibelungen in the theatre built beside his Gloucestershire home by the company’s far-sighted founder Martin Graham. “It can’t be done,” scoffed doubters at the start of this magnificent project. Martin showed that it could. Now, in revivals to mark the bicentenary of Wagner’s birth, LFO is offering three complete Ring cycles, the second of which is halfway through as I write.

Having hailed all four productions in this cycle when they appeared, and unable to devote so many days to rapturous enjoyment of them again, I contented myself with revisiting just one, Siegfried. As I took my seat in the little opera house — its facade adorned by a life-size statue of the composer — I was viewed almost as an interloper by ‘old hands’ who had already been neighbours for Das Rheingold and Die Walküre and were clearly infected by the shared excitement of this very special event.

Nor were they to be disappointed by what was to be offered today, beginning with Siegfried’s thrilling confrontations with his evil guardian Mime (Adrian Thompson) concerning his background and parentage.

Powerful of voice as he was, Hugo Mallet’s hero appeared slightly less than — well, heroic — viewed from close up, owing to somewhat obvious make-up and a curious pudding-basin haircut. By contrast, Phillip Joll’s mighty Wanderer looked and sounded every inch a god, especially in the emotionally charged scene with the earth goddess Erda (Anna Burford) in which the fate of their offspring Brünnhilde is debated. Finally came the release of this imprisoned Valkyrie (the superb Rachel Nicholls) from her fire-girt rock through the kiss of Siegfried, and the rapturous climax to the work as they sing of their transforming love.

An opera with a climax as affecting — perhaps even more so —is being given at present in the lovely setting of Grange Park, near Winchester. This is the harrowing scene as, one by one, all 16 nuns from a French convent, advance to the scaffold, their collective singing of the Salve regina necessarily reducing in power as Madame Guillotine does her terrible work. Based on a true story of the Revolution, Dialogue des Carmelites is by Frances Poulenc, another 2013 anniversary composer, who died 50 years ago. GPO’s production, superbly conducted by Stephen Barlow, does credit to this great work.

Der Ring des Nibelungen: Longborough Festival Opera. Until July 12 .For tickets call 01451 830 292 or visit lfo.org.uk

Dialogues des Carmelites: Grange Park Opera .Until July 12. Tickets: 01962 737360 or grangeparkopera.co.uk