Astonishing as it may seem, there has been no Purcell at Glyndebourne since Janet Baker’s debut as Dido in 1966. Financial considerations may have played a part. With its masques superimposed onto Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, its cast of singers and dancers, lavish sets and flying machines, the Fairy Queen has strained resources since its first outing in Dorset Garden in 1692.

But “I know a bank”, intones Oberon prophetically. By casting young people as singers and dancers, conductor William Christie and director Jonathan Kent ensure sexy physicality from characters clad or semi-clad fetchingly in white.

Paul Brown’s ingenious sets, ravishingly lit by Mark Henderson, sustain interest over a long evening, as do Kent’s inventive direction and Kim Brandstrup’s choreography. The randy rabbits and Thisbe’s errant false boob should go down well when this enjoyable show comes to the Proms on 21 July.

Christie’s conducting of the OAE is similarly inspired and there’s fine singing, from Lucy Crowe, Andrew Foster-Williams and others. Carolyn Sampson tugs at the heartstrings in Plaint, abetted by Christie’s exquisitely sensitive accompaniment.