VERDI is the musical father of the Italian Risorgimento, which brought the different states of the Italian peninsula into a single kingdom of Italy and his operas are often calls to the Italian people’s patriotic pride. Thus the foreign oppression of the people of Sicily foregrounded in Les Vepres Siciliennes is a nationalist call for unity.

It’s a lengthy work and this WNO production faithfully follows Verdi’s original conception for the Paris Opera. There are five acts and a long ballet section, with stunning dances featuring National Dance Company Wales.

There’s accomplished acting and wonderful singing from the principals but Anush Hovhannisyan as the heroine Helene and Giorgio Caoduro as the dark Guy de Montford are outstanding. As so often at the WNO, the mighty chorus takes all the plaudits with its stunning wall of sound.

In this edgy tale of the occupation of Sicily in 1282 and the uprising that slaughtered the French oppressors, Henri (Jung Soo Yun) is in love with Helene but is rocked by the revelation that he is the son of the evil de Montford.

With revenge and revolution in the air, Helene seeks justice for her murdered brother and Henri, together with fellow rebel Procida — ably sung by Wojtek Gierlach — prepare to destroy Montfort in an opera which is suffused with love, betrayal and violence.

Les Vepres Siciliennes is not often performed and any opera lover will find the three-and-a-half hours running time worth investing in.

Runs until May 9, box office: wno.org.uk.