Never even heard of Longborough - a posh country gaff - until a few months ago, but beetled up there last night to see Rheingold. £60 a ticket is twice what I paid to stand through the entire ROH Ring recently, and more than I would normally pay (although £25 of that was a mandatory charitable donation, so at least I shall get a doubtless grateful Mr Darling to reimburse me a tenner later), but it was well worth it.

Magnificent setting, drink beforehand on the terrace, with a vast expanse of the Cotswolds stretched out in the sunlight below me. The opera house itself is small (500 I think) - for anyone familiar with the Watermill near Newbury, about twice the size and just as rustic. Most of the audience had picnicked on the lawns in their DJs and posh frocks, although none of the above is mandatory!

I had booked because I love Rheingold, and wanted to see Donald McIntyre relive his Bayreuth/Boulez role as Wotan - but in fact it was Philip Joll who sang the part, as he had been booked to do for the 2 other performances. I saw PJ as Wotan at WNO just after the Boulez Ring was first broadcast on TV - also 25 years ago. The WNO remains my favourite production ever, and PJ was anything but a poor consolation for not seeing DMcI - superb rock-solid singing and acting, a proud but thoughtful Wotan. Apart from the Froh, who was hopeless, and the giants, who were so-so, the rest of the cast were also excellent. I have never seen anyone give anything but a top-class performance of Loge, (Nigel Dougles, Heinz Zednick, Philip Langridge) but Peter Bronder (who I have seen before but can't think where) was ideal - a puckish, athletic, mercurial figure who would have stolen the show, were it not for the Alberich of Alan Fairs (of whom I had never heard) - up there with the greats as possibly the best I have seen and heard.

The production, on what is a small stage, was unhindered by scenery, other than a multi-purpose circular dias, but this intimate, pocket Rheingold lacked nothing in power and presence. I cannot say the same for the relatively small orchestra, which performed heroically but sounded thin. Excellent pacing from Anthony Negus, also associated with the WNO cycle which I saw.

To judge from previous seasons, Longborough's ambitions have been mighty, and I am looking forward to Valkyrie in 2010. Yes, it is exclusively for the white and wealthy, in a way which even the ROH is not (although to be fair the top prices are nowhere near ROH), despite the words of the founder, who came on and bored everyone beforehand, banging on about 'outreach' ho ho. Do I care? Not at all. A fabulous evening.