Welsh National Opera, Ariadne auf Naxos, The Mayflower

THIS is an opera of the unexpected.

Without the renown of classics like Tosca and Turandot, Ariadne auf Naxos is a surprising insight into what opera can be - witty, engaging and self-parodying.

Like an ever-decreasing series of Russian dolls, the performance gives us an opera within an opera.

And when the curtain goes up, it bizarrely displays backstage in a busy, energetic playhouse. The confusion and bustle and extreme characters create a lively prologue.

Alice Coote, playing the passionate composer - a character Richard Strauss is said to have based on himself - strikes a careful balance between parody and 'believeability'.

Meanwhile, the light-hearted travelling band of musicians are expert clowns neatly combining slapstick with powerful voices and jaunty music.

The Mayflower's series of Welsh National Opera performances has been extraordinarily popular, with many evenings sold out.

Ariadne was no exception.

People of all ages enjoyed the challenging score, the accessible, dramatic staging and the expert stitching together of the clashing worlds of tragedy and comedy, backstage versus front stage.