This DVD has the market to itself. The reasons are not hard to find: Szymanowski’s opera, almost more an oratorio, does not come round often in the opera house and so there have been relatively few stage productions. Loosely based on Euripides’ gory mythic tragedy Bacchae, it explores Dionysiac desires in the depths of the human soul, and anybody listening at home might feel that its psychological drama belongs as much in the mind’s eye as it does on the stage or screen.

The director, David Pountney, seems quite reasonably to have felt that it could be counterproductive to try to depict visually the luscious exoticism in which the music is already so heavily soaked. There is no attempt to present colourful stage pictures of Byzantine churches and oriental palaces. The entire opera is played out on a white set of steps but the striking use of lighting and other visual effects mean the production is not nearly as limited as it might sound. The aftermath of the orgiastic celebrations, with some participants drenched in blood and others wearing giant oxens’ heads, is as vividly evocative as any traditional production might be.

Overall, the cast is a decent one. The sturdy baritone of Scott Hendricks suits the title-role well, and Will Hartmann sings strongly as the Shepherd (a few touches of strain apart) and looks splendid when he is finally revealed as the god Dionysus, covered from head to toe in gold paint and glitter. Olga Pasichnyk makes a seductive Roxana and John Graham-Hall an intelligent if vocally wobbly Edrisi. In Szymanowski’s mystical and exotic score Mark Elder gets good playing from the Vienna Symphony Orchestra. Those who are happy to imagine the world of King Roger for themselves might prefer Rattle’s award-winning CD, given the benefit of a spacious EMI studio recording. Otherwise, this makes a very acceptable DVD choice.