This Aix-en-Provence production (2013) represents the first time something close to the complete score of Elena (1659) has been performed since the mid-17th century. Helen, the most beautiful woman in the world, is desired by Menelaus, who disguises himself as an Amazon woman in order to appeal to her love of wrestling. However, Helen is also lusted after by Theseus, who kidnaps her and seduces her – notwithstanding the inconvenient outrage of his jilted fiancée Hippolyta (a real Amazonian). To be fair to Theseus, he’s a victim of the gods, who made him do it.

The Théâtre du Jeu de Paume is small enough to enable real intimacy in the action and singing, and the stage set is like a Renaissance lecture theatre of the kind in which university students used to observe dissections, with protective panels a bit like a bullring. Within this wooden arena, scene changes are created using simple props such as a large sail carried by supernumeraries to suggest a ship, and creeping red vines to insinuate a forest. Ridiculous shenanigans are enacted with far more subtlety than one might expect – when Helen’s father falls instantly in love with the disguised Menelaus, not realising ‘she’ is a man, the impression generated is one of sadness rather than absurdity. The tragicomic tone of the production feels less like a simplistic farce and much more like Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, with all the emotions of love, such as jealousy, infatuation, infidelity, lust and blissfulness, rendered sincerely. There are some short juicy musical moments as good as anything else Cavalli produced for the stage, such as Helen’s languid entrance aria anticipating the forthcoming pleasures of love (sung radiantly by Emöke Baráth, whose performance could indeed launch a thousand ships), and an intertwining love duet for Helen and Menelaus that begins Act 3. Countertenor Valer Barna-Sabadus (Menelaus) and lyrical tenor Fernando Guimarães (Theseus) both seduce Helen with shaded finesse, whereas Solenn’ Lavanant Linke is an imperious Hippolyta that nobody in their right mind would mess with. The musical performance is excellent, but, unusually, the real star of the show is Jean-Yves Ruf’s poignant staging.