Last Friday I saw The Hunt of King Charles, "the first Finnish opera ever", "a historical monument" according to the programme.

It starts in a contemporary museum - at one time with notes projected on the walls - singers in contemporary casual clothes, until the king emerges dressed in white baroque clothes and a blue wig. From there the performance moves backward in time, with the performers wearing 17th century clothes in 19th century scenery until at the end they are back in the 21st century museum. I found all of this very clever and fun. An elegant solution to a tricky problem.

During the interval two ladies queing behind me at the bar criticised the performance in a serious tone. "Petrus Schroderus sings well, but he just sings. He doesn't express the drama". "I don't understand why they had to have a museum at the start." Yet the whole of it was so clearly tongue-in-cheek, that I can't understand how anyone could have missed it. I don't think it could be performed in full earnest.

Still, as far as the music goes, it's not just a historical curiosity.