Opera in two acts / Sung in Italian Il Ritorno d'Ulisse in Patria is based closely on the final books of Homer's Odyssey and is hailed as the key work marking the threshold between the Renaissanc and Baroque periods. Dietrich Henschel double as Ulisse and Human Frailty. Vesselina Kasarova sings Penelope. The part lies rather low to display Kasarova's characterful and dramatic mezzo to best advantage. Klaus Michael Grüber's new production (assisted by Ellen Hammer) supports Monteverdi's aim to put the human drama in the foreground and individualise characters through musical forms. The sets have an apt simplicity, eschewing fussy detail and spectacular effects. The colours are cool, predominantly white, blue and black, transporting us to a modern day.