English National Opera has finally found a new artistic director - and not before time. The blurb announcing Sean Doran's appointment speaks of him leading the company "into a new era". On the same day, ENO kicked off another run of its most tried and tested production - Jonathan Miller's 1982 mafioso take on Verdi's Rigoletto, set in Little Italy - and reminded us that the old era still has plenty going for it.
A major strength this time around is the depth of the casting, with some classy singers in several of the supporting roles, and almost all the words clearly audible. Monterone may be on stage only briefly, but Roderick Earle is on hand to bring a frisson to his pivotal curse. Anna Burford's fruity Maddalena is another treat. Best of all is Clive Bayley's thoroughly odious Sparafucile, who, walking off-stage, hangs on to his deepest bass note in the same way that tenors milk their top As.
With Rhys Meirion ill, those tenor notes were passed to Bonaventura Bottone, an old hand at this production. He has the Duke's vain swagger to the life and, though occasionally slightly wayward in his tuning, has a voice that can pin you to your seat. Linda Richardson is a gawky, touching Gilda, and makes the intricacies of her big aria sound easy. But the evening hangs on Alan Opie's performance in the title role. Less vulnerable and twisted than some, his is a forceful interpretation that allows us to empathise with the embittered jester without dipping into sentimentality. And he sings the role powerfully.
The orchestra took a little while to reach peak form, but Michael Lloyd's conducting was sensitive and often snappy, and the storm effects in the third act came over wonderfully. It was a great night for the men's chorus, who, to compensate for having had to bounce around in shellsuits during The Trojans, get to spend this evening giving us their best Robert De Niro. In fact, all three of ENO's current productions involve a full-strength or even expanded chorus, in great voice. But the company board, which still wants to make a third of them redundant, obviously isn't listening.
· In rep until March 14. Box office: 020-7632 8300.
