Vocal feats to astonish the ears

Halevy's grand opera La Juive (1835) was one of the most spectacular 19th-century productions of the Paris Opera Company, renowned for its lavish stagings.

No lavish sets of 15th-century Constance tonight, alas - it's a concert performance given by the Royal Opera - but there'll still be plenty of vocal feats to astonish the ears.

It tells the story of Rachel, a young Jewish girl (the 'Juive' of the title) who falls in love with a Christian nobleman who conveniently forgets to tell her he's already married.

Against a background of racial persecution, this turns out to be rather problematic for all concerned and the opera ends with the poor girl submitting to a horrific execution. She has to fling herself into boiling oil to save her lover.

It's fantastically hard to cast, mainly because the role of ElÈazar, Rachel's father, demands huge German stamina as well as French elegance and lightness.

Dennis O'Neill takes on the challenge, exciting young soprano Marina Poplavskaya sings Rachel and the fabulous Nicole Cabell (winner of the Cardiff Singer Of The World) sings the role of her rival, Princess Eudoxie. Daniel Oren conducts.

Tonight and Thu, Barbican, Silk Street EC2, 6.30pm, £15 to £60. Tel: 0845 120 7550. www.barbican.org.uk Tube: Barbican/Moorgate