Once again Glyndebourne is reviving one of the celebrated trilogy of Janacek stagings by Nikolaus Lehnhoff - and once again it is a hit.
Substantial credit for this must go to the designer, Tobias Hoheisel. The Makropulos Case is an opera focusing almost entirely on one character - Emilia Marty, who, with the help of an elixir of life, has lived for 337 years - and the idea of her time running out is vividly suggested whenever one looks at the stage.
On the left, a huge hourglass forms part of the wall, filling up ever nearer to the top; across the rest of the stage, a revolving strip moves everything on it round as imperceptibly as the hour hand on a clock.
In Lehnhoff's production, the role of Emilia Marty belongs to Anja Silja - indeed, they seem indivisible.
Although she has said the fact that Marty is a singer doesn't make the role any easier to assume, and although she lacks the superior preciousness attributed to some of her colleagues, it has to be said that Silja does have the selfish, world-weary diva to perfection.
It's not impossible to believe that so many men flap around her like moths at a 100-watt light bulb.
Glyndebourne has cast these subsidiary roles strongly: Par Lindskog as Gregor, Steven Page as Prus, Timothy Robinson as Janek, Nigel Douglas as Hauk-Sendorf. Jonathan Veira's Kolenaty projects well, especially as he is pattering through the details of the lawsuit, and Linda Tuvas's bright soprano suits the character of Kristina.
Peter Eotvos, in his debut as a conductor here, unleashes exuberant playing from the London Philharmonic of this driven, angular score, the orchestra an equal (and occasionally dominant) partner to the voices.
However, any production of this opera is carried by Marty herself, and you could tell by the way the others took their bows that nobody on stage really believed the evening belonged to anyone but Silja.
This role is a real star vehicle (hence four costume changes in less than two hours, even if they aren't all flattering) and Silja shines in it. Her extraordinary voice is still radiant, her top notes still gleaming after a career spanning more than 40 years.
The Makropulos Case itself is perhaps not as immediately involving as the other Janacek operas Lehnhoff has chosen to stage here (Katya Kabanova and Jenufa), but this production is extremely persuasive.
• In rep until August 22. Box office: 01273 813813.
