Performer: Andreas Fuchs

English National Opera's It’s a Wonderful Life makes for a feel-good evening of theatre, but it requires a sweet tooth.

Inspiration eludes the director as a new staging of Saint-Säens’ biblical epic falls flat but for some excellent musical performances led by outstanding mezzo Elīna Garanča. 

Christopher Purves bosses the show as Méphistophélès; Richard Jones' production is intelligent and carefully thought through but ultimately unconvincing.