I'm just back from seeing Das Rheingold at the Royal Opera House. I've been looking forward to it for - literally - years, since I first heard that Bryn Terfel was to sing his first Wotan, and I was lucky enough to get hold of a ticket for a run which is entirely sold out.

It was, however, a monumental disappointment, some superb singing and orchestral playing marred - ruined, I'd say - by a puerile production which cheapened the musical side.

Things started promisingly, the opening scene with the Rhinemaidens cleverly lit to give the impression of the Rhine flowing across the stage, and the Rhinemaidens themselves walking and moving as if underwater. But apart from one coup de theatre, when Wotan's residence lifts off the stage to reveal Alberich's domain, the rest of the production was, at best, banal and at worst simply puerile.

Wotan himself was portrayed as a mildly annoyed middle manager, lacking any sense of grandeur. Given that he was sung by Bryn Terfel, a singer who simply has to stand on stage to reek of grandeur, this was quite some achievement. Fricka and Freia were annoying, simpering moaners, and Donner and Froh were dolled up like party magicians. (The one exception was Loge, whom Philip Langridge invested with genuine interest and character.) As for Alberich: simply dull. Quite how it's possible to make Alberich seem like a petulant bore is beyond me, but Keith Warner, a director plainly out of his depth, managed it.

Musically, it was much better, with some excellent singing from Terfel and Langridge, and competent (albeit uninspired) singing from everyone else. And it was well played by the orchestra, although it seemed to me that Pappano has a long way to go before he can be considered a front rank Wagner conductor. There was no thread to the performance, just a series of individual bars strung together.

The production conception, such as it was, seemed to be that Rheingold is a light comedy with some heavy music - just about the polar opposite in my view of the case.

I've also been going to the English National Opera's Ring, and although it has some real musical drawbacks - neither the singing nor the orchestra are in the same league as the ROH's - and the production is flawed, it is much, more interesting, and a far more worthwhile evening in the theatre. It's also a third of the price.

Oh dear.