This is truly a consummate production as far as Robert Carsen's staging is concerned. Its history dates back to Amsterdam, and Milan, and was first seen at the Theater an der Wien in 2008.

Michael Levine's anthracite drops, a minimum of sets and props which unobtrusively come and go with skilled dexterity by the cast, and brilliantly effective lighting (Jean Kalman/Christine Binder) really draw every nuance of Poulenc's work to the fore. Any disjointed or contrived moments lie more in the score than in this interpretation.

Patricia Petibon (Blanche) lit the stage with her customary intensity and passion. Her midrange has beefed-up, although the extreme top of her voice has inevitably suffered to some degree, but hardly to the detriment of the role - this is not Mozart after all.

Deborah Polaski's Madame de Croissy is a tour-de-force, coming at just the right time in her career - and indeed, providing the highlight of the evening in her wonderfully acted demise at the close of Act 1.

The remaining cast list is a long one, but was by no means as illustrious or impressive as the two aforementioned protagonists. The cast of Carmelite sisters, including Heidi Brunner (Madame Lidoine), Michelle Breedt (Mere Marie) and Hendrickje Van Kerckhove (Soeur Constance) were all well integrated and well contrasted, but were vocally unspectacular.

On the other hand, Yann Beuron, with his appealing timbre and lyricism, definitely made his mark as Le Chevalier de la Force.

The Radio Symphony Orchestra had many fine moments (with a couple of obligatory fluffs in the brass section) - obviously still well in unity with their former chief, Bertrand de Billy, whose forte is truly in this repertoire.

All in all there were many memorable moments: the lineup of Carmelites from down to upstage forming a divide between de la Force and Blanche; the upturned table in Blanche's refuge which projects a towering guillotine in silhouette on the backdrop; and the moving final effect as the condemned Carmelites drop one by one, followed by Blanche's appearance and virtual sublimation in a searing "white out" from above.