Verdi’s opera is updated to the mid-19th century and set in Paris (Picture: Bill Cooper)
Verdi’s opera is updated to the mid-19th century and set in Paris (Picture: Bill Cooper)

If you’re going to put on a Grand Opéra, then you should make it grand.

No quibbles there with Stefan Herheim’s thrilling, quasi-surreal staging of Verdi’s 1855 blockbuster, Les Vêpres siciliennes (The Sicilian Vespers). The plot is loosely based on a 13th-century Sicilian uprising but Herheim updates it to the mid-19th century and relocates it, meta-opera fashion, to the Paris theatre for which it was written.

Designer Philipp Fürhofer’s sets are eye-poppingly magical: a ballet rehearsal room spins away; a proscenium arch appears; gilded tiers of seats glide on.

Thus, Herheim deconstructs the artificial, restricting nature of Grand Opéra and riffs playfully on its conventions of huge tableaux and spectacular effects. Some of his risky ideas lose focus and lack emotional detail but many hit the spot; the result is witty, challenging and moving.

Tenor Bryan Hymel is on glorious form as conflicted hero Henri, baritone Erwin Schrott brings gorgeous vocal riches as the rebel Procida and bass-baritone Michael Volle is mesmerising as Montfort, Henri’s father and enemy.

Soprano Lianna Haroutounian (Hélène) comes a cropper in the cruelly florid final aria but earlier displays a voice of wonderful warmth, and Antonio Pappano’s taut, luscious conducting is worth the price of a ticket alone.

In rep until Nov 11 (next perf tonight), Royal Opera House.