A tale of two operas – and one very satisfied music critic!

Atale of two operas, both superb in their own right, but one eclipsing the other in terms of spectacle.

One was John Gay’s Beggar’s Opera, the other Rossini’s La Cenerentola. The former was excellent, the latter… well, you’d be hard pushed to find appropriate superlatives. It was, quite simply, 24-carat gold opera.

Opera de Lyon’s Festival Theatre production was marvellously tongue in cheek, on the cusp of pantomime, sumptuously costumed and with a set and special effects – back projections especially – that had to be seen to be believed.

The cast was brilliant and even the chorus stamped their authority on the proceedings with marvellously choreographed routines.

But in front of them were principals adept at comic timing and at home in recit, aria or ensemble.

If I had to pick out one it had to be La Cenerentola (Cinderella) herself, the quite astounding Michele Losier. A supreme combination of comedienne and prima donna.

Taylor Stayton’s Don Ramiro was another hit, but for sheer stage presence and larger-than-life portrayal of Don Magnifico, Renato Girolami takes the honours.

But this was a team performance, propelling this marvellous company right to the top of the operatic tree.

Beggar’s Opera was superb opera-cum-musical with Gay’s original 1728 lyrics and music given a fresh contemporary setting.

The dialogue was slick, the action even slicker and the modern-day satire smart and topical. Benjamin Purkiss (Macheath) did what Ms Losier did, taking a huge leading role by the scruff of the neck and giving it five-star treatment.

If any comparison could be made to the Rossini, it would be the huge contribution by the rest of the cast in which Robert Burt (Peachum) and the two leading ladies, Olivia Brereton (Lucy) and Kate Batter (Polly) deserve special mention.

Both operas were entertainment of the highest possible extreme.