The 'now you see them, now you don't' nature of the surtitles for this gloriously funny Elixir was a puzzle. Were they malfunctioning perhaps their operator was helpless with laughter or were they being used for this updated English language version (by Amanda Holden) only when it was thought a passage might not be heard, perhaps because of voices overlapping or imbalance with conductor Mark Shanahan's well-managed orchestral forces? I thought the second explanation more likely, but in the main (as at ENO) the assistance was superfluous because the singers' articulation and the acoustics (Grange Park's theatre now boasts a ceiling!) were first-class.

Director Martin Constantine has shifted the action from a sun-soaked Italian village in the early 19th century to an industrial town in northern Britain in the days of post Second World War austerity. Its focus is a refreshment trailer catering for workers from the smoke-belching factories brilliantly presented (real smoke!) in Lez Brotherston's designs. Specifically, our concern is its general dogsbody Nemorino (the excellent Colin Lee) mooning about in love with the rather superior (and doesn't she know it!) Adina (Victoria Joyce), who is what a later generation would call a 'teaser'.

Into this monochrome world there comes a first flash of colour military green as the impossibly pompous and pleased with himself Sergeant Belcore marches on to the scene, complete with a pratfalling non-singing sidekick who deserves, but doesn't get, a credit in the programme (he's Simon McCoy and well done). Then, even as his charisma stirs the cold heart of Adina, there is a positive explosion of garish yellow and pink (pictured) as the travelling quack Dulcamara (Eric Roberts) arrives to peddle his potions. What Nemorino takes to be his elixir of love is no more, in truth, than good old-fashioned claret, but the Dutch courage it gives him is exactly what is needed to guarantee his success with the lovely ladies of the town. Oh, and the fact which they know and he doesn't that he has just inherited a fortune from a dead uncle . . .

As with the effervescent production of Donizetti's Don Pasquale, which is delighting summer visitors to Garsington, this is light-hearted entertainment ideally suited to its country house setting. There are further performances tomorrow and Tuesday (box office tel: 01962 868 888 box@grangeparkopera.co.uk).