Opera revivals can be tricky beasts to tame. The more successful the original production, the greater the potential for a freshly cast revival to disappoint. For its revival of Mozart's Nozze di Figaro - David McVicar's original production was first seen in 2006 - the Royal Opera has come up trumps.

By skilful recasting, the essence of the production has been, if anything, enhanced. McVicar's thoughtful staging, now overseen by Leah Hausman, reveals a dimension of the work which is not always to the fore: namely, the ruthless self-interest of master and servant alike.

Peter Mattei's Count Almaviva is almost vicious in his scheming, but if his bearing is imperious, his vocal command is no less impressive. Ildebrando D'Arcangelo's Figaro matches him gesture for gesture, positively smouldering with the intensity of his rivalry. This Figaro is no charming rascal but a dangerous enemy: the vengefulness of his anticipated triumph is quite frightening.

Aleksandra Kurzak's Susanna is similarly fiery rather than endearing. Her Deh Vieni may show a relatively sweet side, but then it is a song sung to deceive.

Only Barbara Frittoli's Countess is more conventionally sympathetic, more sinned against than sinning. If her largeness of spirit is perhaps too graphically reflected in the generosity of her vibrato, she nevertheless succeeds in conveying the character's vulnerability in an undeniably touching Dove Sono.

Anna Bonitatibus offers a convincingly adolescent Cherubino, both in her shambling gait and in the breathless delivery of her arias: parts of Voi che sapete are done sotto voce, eyes closed. Ann Murray and Robert Lloyd as Marcellina and Bartolo make a splendid pair of would-be conspirators turned genial parents, while Kishani Jayasinghe, a Jette Parker Young Artist, is an excellent Barbarina.

Taking over the baton from Antonio Pappano and Colin Davis, Charles Mackerras, now well into his 80s, seems determined to deny himself any Grand Old Man status. His tempi are brisk to the point of seeming over-hasty. The drama certainly lacks no pace in his hands, though the relentlessness of his beat contributes to a sense that not all of human life is here.

Broadcast live on BBC Radio 3, 5 July.