Nabucco, Royal Centre, Nottingham

During the restoration of Leeds' Grand Theatre, Opera North has resorted to non-staged performances. Nabucco in concert may not be quite as titivating as witnessing Nebuchadnezzar storming into the Jewish temple on horseback - the kind of literal enaction you might catch in Rome's Caracalla Baths or Verona; but given a terrific cast, blistering playing from Opera North's orchestra, and searing contributions from an utterly engaged chorus, this was a Nabucco that gripped almost from the start.

With endless full-blooded rum-ti-tum, Nabucco is a score that it would be easy to murder. Where Parry consistently scored - given the Royal Centre's amplifying resonances - was by restraining his orchestra when accompanying so as to permit the leads - not least, Nabucco and Abigaille - to explore character in depth. The crazed, shifting emotions that Verdi probes in aria and duet were allowed space to develop. The king's madness - ironically, it is he who calls the Jews "madmen" in his first aria - was one of the main beneficiaries of Parry's thoughtful treatment.

Alastair Miles, hotfoot from singing the chief schemer in Covent Garden's Dom Sébastien, produced a wealth of dazzling virtuosity as High Priest Zaccaria, the voice admirably supported and effortlessly secure. Just briefly, later on, there seemed to be a tuning conflict with the solo cello. Leonardo Capalbo, the young tenor who is Ismaele, is a voice in the making: he has the range; his potential was obvious in Ismaele's pained outburst as mutterings against him mount. Jane Irwin, though a little subdued in this acoustic, won hearts in Fenena's moving Act IV prayer.

Alan Opie's inspired characterisation has lost none of its edge with years. This Nabucco lurches from hubris to despair, vainglory to chastened regret, with a vast range of intermediary shadings. Opie can make sotto voce feel like fortissimo. The great Act III barney between king and usurper, set against almost baroque-sounding oboe and bassoon, revealed an astonishing variety of pathos-ridden tone and colour. "O God of Judah" was stupendous.

But the most sensational showing was Claire Rutter as Abigaille. Rutter's ability to span the gamut of emotion, from spite to ambition, guilt to greed, triumphalism to despair, was a lesson in gorgeous delivery. She glories in top range, and excels in all else. Knockout.

Nabucco goes to Huddersfield on 4 October, and Salford on 6 and 8 October