Hugh Vickers sees the funny side of Goran Jarvefelt's production of Mozart's opera at the Apollol Theatre, Oxford

Welsh National Opera is extremely lucky to preserve in its repertoire several productions by the late, great Swedish director Goran J"rvefelt. I see this Magic Flute as almost a companion piece to his superb Ballo In Maschera, seen here two years ago. That, for once, justified Verdi's original Swedish setting. Here J"rvefelt again introduces us to the rich world of the Swedish Enlightenment - the world symbolised by the tiny, ravishing Court Theatre in Drottningsholm, Europe's oldest surviving baroque theatre.

J"rvefelt had directed The Magic Flute there well before he considered making this production for Cardiff, and I think it shows, particularly in the simple, up-front treatment of the Papageno/Papagena story.

Where appropriate, he is not afraid to let participants (the three ladies, for example) come to the front of the stage to draw the moral - with the auditorium lights on. Again, elements such as the often embarrassing animals, dancing to Tamino's flute, take on a rococo playfulness which rightly had Tuesday night's audience in hysterics. I was interested to hear a neighbour's comment: "I had quite forgotten how funny it is, what a laugh."

On the serious side, J"rvefelt's programme essay reveals that, like all Magic Flute producers, he has been forced to invent much of the story's background. His best idea, in no way against text or music, is that the chorus represents a complete human community, with the knightly followers of Sarastro in their midst. It is the destiny of Tamino, after the necessary trials, to become their king.

I thought Peter Wedd (Tamino) gave an acting performance which clearly suggested this growth to maturity, greatly helped by having a young Sarastro (Panajotis Iconomou, vocally superb). Their embrace before the trials was, movingly, like that of brothers rather than father and son.

Natalie Christie (Pamina) was believable as Tamino's partner, but enchanting in her relations with Papageno (Christopher Purves) - their Bei Mannern duet was exquisitely sung and acted. Claron McFadden (Queen of the Night) exuded evil in gesture, as well as vocally, in her Rache aria. David Jones, conducting, kept the tempi swift. As always with WNO, he was particularly well served by the chorus - I shall not soon forget the priest's beautiful O Isis und Osiris while Tamino faces upstage, towards the rising sun.