THERE is nothing quite like a doomed love story set against the backdrop of carnage, replete with lies, treachery and bloodshed to get those operatic juices flowing.

And Maometto Secondo, by Gioachino Rossini, is certainly quite a spectacle, brimming over with rage, passion and lust.

The show is one of the three productions being performed at this year’s Garsington Opera season.

Of course, the opera itself is just one aspect of what makes for such a great evening out.

The venue itself adds just as much to the appeal. The lush, beautiful grounds of the Wormsley estate near Stokenchurch, which hosts the impressive temporary pavilion in which the performances take place, make for a sight to behold before you even take your seats.

Of course, how much you get to enjoy a wander outside through the impressively landscaped gardens and greenery or a lakeside picnic does rather depend on the weather.

Thankfully so far this year the rain has been held at bay and the temperature – while chilly when evening sets in – is a far cry from the near arctic conditions that hit some performances last year. Yet as thoroughly enjoyable as the chance to soak up the atmosphere of the grounds is, we shouldn’t forget the centrepiece of the evening event – the show itself.

And this production, directed by Edward Dick, was just as impressive. It tells the story of the besieged Venetian city of Negroponte, which is desperately holding Turkish invaders, led by Maometto (baritone Darren Jeffery), at bay.

Maometto has demanded the city’s surrender, and while its governor, Erisso (tenor Paul Nilon), is tempted he is persuaded by the passionate young Calbo (mezzo Caitlin Hulcup) to carry on the fight. So impressed with the soldier is he, that he wants his daughter Anna (soprano Sian Davies) to marry him - a bid she resists, being in love with another man.

But when the Turks finally break through the city walls, it seems Maometto has an insider’s knowledge of the land. It soon emerges that the fearsome ruler has visited the city before, in the guise of Uberto – the man Anna fell in love with.

Torn between love and loyalty, it seems the fate of the city rests with Anna as she battles her attraction to the Turkish ruler and tries to save her father and Calbo. This is a bold show, not big on subtlety, but full of bombastic scenes and passions.

The first act is quite pacy, as operas go, taking us through the build-up to battle and its aftermath with some evocative sets – much of the action takes place against a huge fallen, decapitated statue, with battlefield smoke and fire effects adding plenty of atmosphere to proceedings.

Things slow down – possibly a little too much – for the second act, which is when the violence of war takes a backseat to more tortured self-reflection from the opera’s key characters as they attempt to reconcile their feelings with their brutal reality. Needless to say, that doesn’t go very well.

The plot itself doesn’t bear close inspection – there are some pretty muddy character motivations at play here. And whereas the best tragedies often have a sad inevitability to them, here some events and character decisions seem a bit forced, silly even, undercutting some of the emotional punch of the narrative.

What cannot be undercut, however, are the amazing vocal performances at play. All four of the main players are superb. As Anna, it falls to Sian Davies to deliver some hugely impressive performances that carry many of the key emotional scenes.

And similarly mezzo Caitlin Hulcup – who I initially found a little jarring only because she is playing a male part – is absolutely electrifying, showing off an incredible range by the end of the show.

Paul Nilon, meanwhile, imparts Erisso with a tortured nobility while, as Maometto, Darren Jeffery is terrific, full of charismatic flamboyance and making the tyrant strangely likable even as he orders torture and bloodshed.

The score itself is similarly fiery, with David Parry’s band bringing Rossini’s music to vivid and rousing life.

Overall, then, this was a hugely impressive night at the opera, brilliantly performed and extremely well staged. Maometto Secondo might be a bit too full of blood and thunder to suit all tastes, but if you like your opera full of fearsome intensity and anguish then this will fit the bill perfectly.

Future performances of Maometto Secondo will take place at 5.45pm on June 16, 20, 26 and 28 and July 2, 4 and 10.

Also showing this season is Mozart’s Die Enterfuhrung Aus Dem Serail (showing at 6.20pm on June 15, 19, 22 and 25, and July 1 and 6) and Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel (showing at 6.35pm on June 23, 27 and 29, and July 5, 7, 9 and 11).

Book tickets at www.garsingtonopera.org or on 01865 361636