Das Rheingold, Longborough Festival Opera, Longborough Reviewed by Roderic Dunnett

Longborough is a work in progress. Introducing his opera festival's new production of Das Rheingold, Martin Graham, builder, entrepreneur, Wagner fanatic and wit, apologised to his audience if it encountered "rubble here, sawdust over there"; and for still having "Balkan lavatories".

What Graham has done - with a production team led by director Alan Privett - is to modernise Longborough's previous "mini-Ring" into a full-scale staging, with a 60-strong orchestra. The sound is fabulous. From those blaring E-flats welling up in the overture, everything that eddied from the enlarged Longborough orchestra pit had might and bite and urgent momentum, thanks chiefly to Anthony Negus, a Reginald Goodall acolyte and now a world-class Wagnerian conductor.

The raising of Longborough's roof - now much higher than before - has brought dividends. One flaw lingers. Crucial stage exits (such as the final flouncing out of Nicholas Folwell's glowering Alberich) seem almost as shambling as before (when they were ghastly). This needs attention. Graham's new designer is the Norwegian graphic artist Kjell Torriset, who has worked for Oslo's National Theatre. A climbing frame and a Wieland Wagner-like, oval central dais (thrice used to searing effect) help foster an aptly imprisoning atmosphere, recalling the portcullissed claustrophobia of Phyllida Lloyd's London Macbeth. Most of the supposed gold proved to be inexplicably red; where the lights did finally score, however, was in Guy Hoare's sensational final rainbow effect.

Sir Donald McIntyre was to have sung Wotan. Though not quite a McIntyre, Phillip Joll comes close in both vocal presence and stature. Colette McGahon offered a Fricka of traditional build and matronly voice. Kate Radmilovic touched hearts as an emotionally-racked Freia; Evelyn Krahe's Erda boomed, resplendent, in her native German. American Joel Sorensen dished up a delicious, yelping Mimi cameo.

Rheingold's shameless star was Peter Bronder - Longborough's former Mime - who confirmed brainy Loge as the malign genius of the enterprise. Everyone loves a bad 'un: he effortlessly stole the show.

Festival runs to 28 July (www.longboroughopera.com; 01451 830292)