Production frustrations aside, the Royal Opera's new season has opened on a musical high with Gluck's Iphigénie en Tauride, the composer's last major work, not seen at Covent Garden for 30 years. Written for Paris in 1779 and full of novelty for its time, this taut drama after Euripides flickers between darkness and light, profound agitation and elegant, calm resignation. The glorious score, with its pounding, hurricane-force rhythms and dance-like contours, shows this pivotal composer at his most singular and compelling.

Ivor Bolton conducted an intense, explosive account, with whirlwind playing from the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, and a first-class cast. This work has no hero, no lovers. Iphigénie and her brother Oreste are children of the murdered Agamemnon. Their dysfunctional lives are shaped by brutal death. Not much in the way of light relief, it is true: Gluck's noble themes, rather, are the burden of memory, instinct, loyalty, duty, selfsacrifice and redemption.

The American soprano Susan Graham in the title role, ambiguous, disturbed and finally isolated, holds the stage with her statuesque presence, ripe, burnished tone and fiery grace. The most developed relationship, one of love and passionate friendship, is that between the two Greeks, Oreste and Pylade. Simon Keenlyside darted around the stage with characteristic athleticism and even greater vocal agility. Tenor Paul Groves was persuasive as Pylade, less tonally assured than Keenlyside but rising to the emotional demands.

Robert Carsen's production, designed by Tobias Hoheisen. treated the piece as internalised, psychological drama. The action takes place in an oppressive grey box, with everyone dressed in nondescript black. Philippe Giraudeau's stylised choreography provided an important element, with telling moments but too much fussy detail.

Finally Carsen's coercive approach depersonalised this most human of Greek tragicomedies. Faces were lit to obscure expression. Giant shadows-suggestive of ghostly Furies, visually overpowered the characters themselves.

But the ending, when white light flooded the stage to reveal sea and shore, was beautiful.

Take or leave the production. The music will inspire.

• Until 29 September. Information: 020 7304 4000. To be broadcast on Radio 3 on 6 October.