Between Mozart’s The Magic Flute and the mid-July opening of Wagner’s Götterdämmerung — the fourth and final step on a remarkable journey towards next year’s complete Ring cycle — Longborough this week offers a thrilling, sometimes emotionally draining production of Leos Janacek’s Katya Kabanova.

This glorious work ushered in the great final period of the Czech composer’s writing for the stage. Its music, not so much descriptive as suggestive of passion, is suffused with the love Janacek felt for Kamila Stosslova, the much younger (and somewhat unwilling) muse who dominated his last years.

Katya is a woman torn by inner conflict — a desire for a freedom that cannot be achieved by one who so respects the conventions of society and gladly submits to the demands made by the Christian religion.

The dilemma is perfectly caught in the superb performance by soprano Lee Bisset who is soon to be seen (is there more than a touch of limbering up here?) as Gutrune in the Wagner.

While she wishes to remain faithful to husband Tichon (Christopher Lemmings), whom one part of her loves, she cannot resist the appeal of the urgently amorous Boris (Michael Bracegirdle) — as Janacek doubtless hoped might eventually prove the case for him with Stosslova.

Both Boris and Tichon are obliged to submit to the dominating demands of their elders. This means odious drunken uncle Dikoy (Sion Goronwy) for Boris, while Tichon has his widowed mother Kabanicha (Louise Winter), one of the most odious old bags in the whole of opera.

She orders him away on a business trip — agony for Katya since she knows she will be unable to resist Boris. This indeed proves the case after Tichon’s vivacious adopted sister Varvara (Jane Harrington) arranges a foolproof means for secret assignations under Kabanicha’s nose.

In her case this means trysts with teacher swain Vanya (Peter van Hulle). Their own joyful freedom, without guilt, supplies telling contrast with Katya’s plight.

Confidently conducted by Jonathan Lyness, the production (directed and designed by Richard Studer) continues until Saturday.

The company is offering readers of The Oxford Times the opportunity to buy two half-price tickets for Friday night’s performance. Contact 01451 830292 between 10am and 4pm, quoting OX29.