Her body gyrations suggest a trance-like state possession sexual awakening the proximity of her lost brother

Her body gyrations suggest a trance-like state, possession, sexual awakening, the proximity of her lost brother in love At least, that's the subtext. But when you've just flown in from heaven knows where and all you have is a resident director to "fill you in", then you might just as well be drying your hair. Actually, Karen Huffstodt is a feisty performer with a dark, vibrant if slightly wild, "pushed" voice, who fair flung herself into the evening (almost toppling the human tree at one point). But commitment counts for very little dramatically if you haven't been party to the evolution of a production such as this, if you don't somehow belong to it. Which brings us to the whole raison d'etre for the evening. And before you ask (those of you who have seen the Jones Ring), yes, Domingo did duly rise through the flames of Sieglinde's fire (the cynical money said he wouldn't), briefly to be one body with her before collapsing exhausted to the floor. Domingo is a natural stage animal: his imposing presence is always something to behold. He didn't look out of place in Jones's staging, but in a sense he was.

I was reminded of that old Kurt Weill song, "I'm a stranger here myself" A tall, dark stranger. In short, this was Domingo doing what Domingo does (and very well) in Nigel Lowery's faux-naif designs It was almost as if he had outgrown them.He sang splendidly. An heroic voice of this stature, eminence and experience is something of a luxury in the role of Siegmund. Heldentenors of like calibre would generally be singing Siegfried by now But then Domingo is not, strictly-speaking, a heldentenor.

Indeed he's almost a Wagner singer by default, being one of very few Latin stars to have successfully embraced both the Italian and German repertoires. But let's be grateful for this late - and yes, great - Siegmund. The role sits perfectly for him, being mostly plumb in the middle of the voice. The darker portents of his Act 1 narration bring the darker hues into play. It's rare to hear a tenor who can fill a word like Tod with such resonance so low in the vocal compass. But throughout that compass it's the fullness, the well- marinated quality of the timbre that is such a joy That and the generosity of his musicality.