WHAT a difference a warm evening with beautiful sunshine can make to an evening of opera. Rebecca Cain went to see Mozart's Die Entführung aus dem Serail, which is one of three operas being performed as part of the Garsington Opera season.

Having only five minutes to get ready for an evening of opera at the beautiful grounds of the Wormsley Estate near Stokenchurch I felt slightly underprepared. Remembering too late the slightly chilly evening I spent last year I forgot to take layers, but I need not have worried as the sun was shining and organisers have added in an extra heater.

I noticed that many audience members did not want to be caught out though, with many women wearing trousers and waterproof shoes.

As always with this splendid opera the atmosphere was buzzing as people took their seats in the wonderfully designed pavillion, which has views of the stunning grounds.

But what of the opera itself? There is no doubt about it- these singers are at the top of their game.

Their voices are simply astounding and took on Mozart's pieces with apparent ease.

The opera has been updated by director Daniel Slater and sees Belmonte (Norman Reinhardt) as an American abroad seeking to rescue his Spanish lover, Konstanze, (Rebecca Nelsen) who has been locked up in the gated mansion of Selim, (Aaron Neil) a Russian football manager. Along with sports journalist, Pedrillo, (Mark Wilde) who is in love with Blonde (Susanna Andersson) who is also in the house, they seek to rescue their girlfriends.

Meanwhile they have Osmin (Matthew Rose) to contend with- an angry security guard who hates both Belmonte and Pedrillo. As well as the fantastic music there was quite a bit of dialogue, which skipped between different languages.

It was a very vibrant production with lots of colour and a fantastic set, which had many different dimensions and literally sprung out of the wall, designed by Francis O'Connor.

The orchestra are simply fantastic, and the music itself was perhaps the best part for me, wonderfully conducted by William Lacey.

Sung in German, it has the subtitles above the stage itself but not for the spoken dialogue. But at some points I could tell I was not as well educated in opera as the audience members around me, as they laughed as the actors on stage spoke in German which I just didn't understand.

I also did not get some of the humour, which I even did understand, with many people chortling in the audience. It was very farcial, which I think if you are in the mood can seem wonderfully funny, but if not- it is just a bit silly.

The story just did not resonate as other operas before had- dare I say it- the story was almost too modernised for me and it felt slightly jumbled because of it.

But ultimately the professionalism of this splendid production you just cannot fault. Everything is just as it should be and is perhaps suited for more seasoned opera lovers.

Die Entführung aus dem Serail is being performed at Garsington Opera on June 15, 19, 22 and 25 and July 1 and 6. Go to www.garsingtonopera.org