On their way to the coronation of Charles X in Reims, a motley group of travellers gets stranded at a provincial spa hotel. Their trouble is our treat, as we are whisked into an amusing parade of characters caught in a web of flirtation and jealousy, enthusiasm and vanity, lofty ideals and eccentric quirks… Rossini composed Il viaggio a Reims for the festivities celebrating the same historical coronation that features in the opera. This extravagant occasional work boasts no fewer than ten demanding lead roles and is Rossini’s first opera composed for Paris. It was also his last in his native language — a late opera buffa that gleefully pokes fun at national stereotypes (the hotel guests hail from all corners of Europe) and self mockingly parodies the conventions of Italian opera. There’s barely a plot to speak of, but Barrie Kosky’s production packs the piece with Feydeauesque wit, verve and erotic slapstick — ingredients that, together with Rossini’s electrifying music, promise a delirium of comedy and madness.