DON Giovanni must be one of the most celebrated rogues in opera history.

Some productions of Mozart's masterpiece afford the anti-hero a certain mischievous charm, but in the English Touring Opera interpretation, he had no redeeming features.

Director Jonathan Munby's Don is depicted as a nasty bully with boorish table manners to boot - to his jackboots at that.

And any doubt about his character was set straight by some rather incongruous fascist salutes.

Roland Wood filled the big bad Don's shoes with aplomb, as he set about seducing all in a skirt. If he displayed any human attributes, it was during the seduction scene with the peasant girl Zerlina, played by Ilona Domnich. His singing was sincere and beguiling - but then we all know he had only one purpose in mind.

The Don's ever-suffering sidekick, Leporello, was played with affection by Jonathan Gunthorpe, who injected some much-needed lighter moments.

Donna Anna was played passionately by Julia Sporsen, whose aria in the second act was one of highlights of the evening. Equally convincing was Laura Parfitt as Donna Elivra.

Sung in English, the diction was good throughout, with the words marrying perfectly with the music, which, in turn, was played with gusto from the pit, under the baton of John Andrews.

The stage set was frugal, yet effective, with the entrance of the Commendatore in a billowing cloud of smoke an inspiring touch.

In the end the bounder gets his comeuppance, of course.

Rather than being swallowed by fires of hell, he is carried off to his doom. A satisfying evening all round.