What’s artistically good for children is often better for adults…John Brancy takes to the role [of Mr Fox] as if it was his birthright, It’s a fully rounded performance with just the right mixture of cunning and concern as the farmers hunt him and his family down…Here’s a toy for very grown-up children.

Ranging from playful and funny to outrageous and grotesque, there’s something for every age group in this opera to enjoy. Although scored for a full orchestra, much of the scoring is chamber-like, making it light and fun, appropriate for a family opera. And the BMOP/Odyssey Opera has a great time with it, embracing all of the absurdity and wackiness with supreme clarity and precision.

Perhaps inevitably, Picker’s melodic lines at times evoke Peter and the Wolf, although Stravinsky is the most obvious stylistic reference point...Chorus do well to tackle some intricate highvaulting lines, while Boston Modern Orchestra Project add vivid splashes of colour and rhythmic drive to the score. There are some truly tender moments, too...In those moments it’s easy to forget that this is a fable and not true to life, and much of the credit has to go to the music itself.