You had to worry for the casual opera fans who came expecting the sacrificial virgins and Minotaurs promised in the story of Arianna In Creta. Those elements do form the backdrop for this rarely-heard Handel composition, but performances are scarce because it is very difficult, both to sing and to dramatise, and this production got around that obstacle by, well, not dramatising it at all.

Instead, it was sung as a recital, with the Academy Of Ancient Music situated at the core of the stage and the singers entering and exiting intermittently with no set and no costumes.

A few performers, most notably the exuberant Lisa Milne as Alceste, tried to bring a bit of flavour through the odd mournful glance, and there were two slightly bizarre attempts at prop involvement with a Grecian urn and a girdle, but they felt at odds with the otherwise “no frills” approach.

Fortunately, for those up to the challenge, these were artists of world-class calibre and there were some real musical delights well worth fighting it out for. Alceste’s duet with solo cello was divine, as were both Arianna’s minor key arias in Act II and the final “I only live to love you” duet.

But it was a shame there was so little emphasis on the visual presentation of the story.

Roaring Minotaurs weren’t necessary (although it would have been cool), but some means of alleviating the density might have made this treat for Handel geeks a little more accessible for everyone else.