THE STUNNING overture to Roberto Devereux contains fragments of the English national anthem and it brought gasps of recognition from the audience, some of whom had lustily booed it at the recent rugby international.

This tale of tortured love between Joyce El-Khoury’s “Virgin Queen” Elizabeth I and Barry Banks’s treasonous Earl of Essex Roberto Devereux ends with everybody unhappy, violent death and the queen abdicating.

Elizabeth loves Roberto but he’s actually enamoured of Sara, Duchess of Nottingham (Justina Gringyte) who, in turn, is married to Roberto’s best friend, the Duke of Nottingham (Biagio Pizzuti).

The ill-fated love triangle inspires Donizetti to create beautiful duets between the various protagonists and, my, how the ensemble can sing.

Meanwhile, the machinations of the Elizabethan court are crudely telegraphed with a tank containing a spider on stage devouring its prey.

The beauty of the duets is matched by conductor Carlo Rizzo drawing a fine performance from the orchestra, while the swelling notes of the chorus frame a production that is far greater than the sum of its parts.

There’s a joyous episode of madness, with the Virgin Queen twirled around the stage by her courtiers in a giant throne replete with large moving spider legs. But stealing the honours are three stunning singing and acting performances from Pizzuti, Gringyte and El-Khoury.

Although Donizetti has taken extreme liberties with Elizabethan history, the production is all the better for it. One might have no sympathy for operas about aristocratic romantic dalliances but the sheer beauty of the singing and the excellence of the acting make this a compelling production.

It’s a great performance of a rarely performed opera, with imaginative staging and costumes married to fine singing and acting.

Runs at the Millennium Centre and tours until May 10, details: wno.org.uk