Wagner's symbols in Lohengrin

Recent productions in Europe have investigated intriguing aspects such as self-determination and autonomy, the messianic leader, incipient militarism and Elsa as the embodiment of the unconscious. Covent Garden is trailing badly, three decades behind, to be precise. Elijah Moshinsky’s staging, devised as an economy measure in 1977, never dug very deep into the work’s symbolic, psychological or ideological substratum. Revived for the sixth time, it seems more threadbare, intellectually speaking, than ever.

Worse still, its one big idea is entirely misconceived. Moshinsky presents the action as a confrontation of the old paganism and the new Christianity, although Wagner said quite specifically that the religious symbolism was no more than that: "a random, superficial feature, not its underlying essence".

To be fair, Moshinsky has sharpened the conception: the orgy of relics and other pious paraphernalia (the stage is dominated by totemic poles, crucifixes, candles) suggests such fetishised objects can be charged with taboo, just like the Forbidden Question itself.

However misguided the central idea, something could have been salvaged with genuine dramatic engagement rather than static poses and stock gestures ranging from feeble to risible.

Semyon Bychkov is clearly in love with the score and brings exquisite refinement to its mystical, enchanted passages, though I did occasionally wonder if the introspection bordered on self-indulgence, vitiating the dramatic impulse in the process.

Johan Botha’s sensitively projected Lohengrin failed to demonstrate the textual subtlety of which he is capable, though Edith Haller was having an even worse night as Elsa. Petra Lang’s vocal authority and acid smile of triumph stole the show for Ortrud, while Gerd Grochowski fruitfully probed the ambivalence of Telramund. The roles of King Henry and the Herald were decently taken by Kwangchul Youn and Boaz Daniel.

Until 16 May. Information: 020 7304 4000, www.roh.org.uk.

The Royal Opera: Lohengrin
Royal Opera House
Floral Street, WC2E 9DD