THIS show has appeared not a moment too soon. In a week when Venice is yet again under water, Venezia has arrived to remind us of the city’s artistic glories, before it sinks forever beneath the encroaching Adriatic.

Venezia is this year’s university music department Practical Project, an icebreaker for the new student intake, pulling together a new music theatre work over a mere six weeks.

A story woven around the Venetian adventurer Casanova, played with Jack-the-lad brio by Jack Baldwin, links six Baroque pieces which are interspersed with 20th century leavening.

To get the full effect you need to arrive half an hour ahead. Aside from three set-piece installations – a tourist-style film, a "Water Room" with languid flutes and tubular bells, and "Bells" including kaleidoscopic videos – there are several musical preludes. One or two might profitably be moved into the main show, which lasts comfortably under two hours.

Vivaldi took pride of place with a sprightly Gloria given by heart in the round under Clark Brydon, plus an Oboe Sonata in the interval from the lush-toned Drake Gritton.

Two Gabrieli Canzons for brass, played from behind the audience, were thrilling, Cavalli’s double-choir Lauda Jerusalem hardly less so. Monteverdi also got a good look-in. Helen Birch contributed a pleasing lament to words by Byron, and a café band delivered Verdi and Piazzolla. A thoroughly satisfying night, well planned and confidently projected. 

Further performances on November 1 and 2.