Though reports of low audiences across Edinburgh abound, this certainly wasn’t evident on Saturday night in a packed Festival Theatre for the opening night of the International Festival’s only staged opera. Rusalka (the tale of a water nymph who yearns to be human) was beautifully brought to life in director Jack Furness’s debut production with Garsington Opera, with a glorious Philharmonia Orchestra in the pit. Without going into plot details (you’ve seen The Little Mermaid, right?), the central themes of identity, mortality and the sacrifices we make for love are exquisitely exposed through Dvořák’s rapturous score. 

Bass-baritone Musa Ngqungwana is commanding as Vodník, the water goblin, and mezzo-soprano Christine Rice convincingly creepy as the scheming witch Ježibaba. Tenor Gerard Schneider gives a passionate performance as the prince, though soprano Natalya Romaniw in the title role is the stand-out singer of the cast. 

^{Pictures: Andrew Perry}

Designer Tom Piper’s staging is very atmospheric, with a porthole that leads into a pool of actual water. The use of light by lighting designer Malcolm Rippeth is highly effective too. What appeared to be a moonbeam shone right through the porthole as Romaniw sang Rusalka’s famous aria ‘Song To The Moon’, while a sunny dawn was captured as she joined the human realm. But the real stars of this show are the orchestra members who, under Douglas Boyd’s baton, brought colour and raw energy to Dvořák’s deliciously scrunchy harmonies.

Festival Theatre, 8 & 9 August, 7.15pm.