It seems ironic to be sitting down to watch an ambulatory opera production from the comfort of one’s armchair. The Salzburg Festival’s 2013 production of Die Entführung aus dem Serail was set in Hangar 7 at the local airport, a vast steel-and-glass exhibition space, filled with historic aircraft, motorbikes and even a small spaceship. The production moves around within this huge venue and the audience is seen being shepherded from one space to another – more fun for them on the night than it is for us to watch later.

Adrian Marthaler’s production reimagines the opera as a modern-day tale of lust and temptation set in the rarefied world of high fashion. Konstanze, a model, wavers when the glamorous head of a fashion house proclaims his desire for her but eventually stays true to her boyfriend Belmonte. Her admirer, Pasha Selim, is evidently a successful businessman, as he travels either in a private jet or a monstrously large jeep, and his staff all stand to attention for him. The production has its limitations, not least a shortage of humour, but at least Marthaler’s updating is more imaginative than simply giving us a lecture on Christian-Muslim relations.

On DVD, it offers enough entertainment for a single viewing. Desirée Rancatore sounds brittle and worryingly thin at the top of her voice as Konstanze. Javier Camarena makes a nicely light, lyrical Belmonte, and there is a lively supporting pair in the Blonde and Pedrillo of Rebecca Nelsen and Thomas Ebenstein. Kurt Rydl’s Osmin, once a standard in the role, now sounds ropy and is cavalier over the notes, but actor Tobias Moretti is well cast as the ageing glamour boy Selim. The dialogue is minimal and newly written to fit. Co ordination is not bad, considering that the Camerata Salzburg is situated away in Hangar 8, and conductor Hans Graf keeps the opera on the move. The production ends glamorously with a fashion parade. Overall, though, it is difficult to offer more than a qualified recommendation. You really had to be there.