Opera North has collaborated with Phoenix Dance on four previous opera productions. Each of these has been a delight, but this performance of Handel's Susanna has been my favourite. There's something perfectly operatic about adding another art form into an already dazzling display of orchestral music, singing, acting, costume design, set design, sound, lighting... the list goes on. And in this performance Phoenix Dance become visual narrators of the drama unfolding on stage, sometimes enhancing the movements of the performers, sometimes telling a tale of their own, but always complementing or explaining the narrative.

Also on stage throughout, and perfectly integrated into the performance, was a British Sign Language (BSL) performer. Gone are the days when the BSL performer stood to one side of the stage and tried to replicate the dialogue. Here Tianah Hodding incorporated BSL into the performance and added immensely to the enjoyment of the opera with gestures and facial expressions of such great clarity. I cannot vouch for the quality of the BSL, but as a hearing member of the audience, I was both surprised and delighted that Tianah Hodding's performance actually enhanced the production. Please do it again.

Susanna is a strange tale - what opera isn't - but it is disturbingly prescient. There's a power play between two creepy elders and a young innocent girl where the elders feel they are unchallengeable. They can do anything they want to this poor girl and get away with it. After all, who would accept the word of a naive young woman compared to two senior male pillars of the community?

As the drama unfolds, our poor Susanna is wrongly convicted and sentenced to death, and all seems lost until a mysterious boy called Daniel steps forward to challenge the elder's judgements. They were, after all, judging themselves.

The story is based on that of Susanna in chapter 13 of the Book of Daniel in the Bible. Daniel, whose name is literally derived from the phrase 'God is my judge', provides clarity and a proper judgement for our good and wholesome Susanna.

Handel's music is glorious and has a lighter operatic style than might be expected. It was originally scored for a small orchestra of strings with oboes and bassoons, with trumpets appearing in the celebrations for Susanna's release from captivity. The orchestra of Opera North, under conductor Johanna Soller, makes light work of the piece and gives gentle support for the simple ballad-like solo vocal pieces.

It almost goes without saying that Anna Dennis' vocal performance as Susanna was flawless, but her acting might surprise you. She hugely contributed to the emotional depth of the production as she remained convinced of her innocence whilst resigned to her inevitable death.

Susanna's husband, Joacim, played beautifully by countertenor James Hall, displayed all the innocence of a freshly baked newlywed, and the chorus of Opera North were first class, as always.

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• Hannah McGlashon and Dylan Springer from Phoenix Dance Theatre
• Anna Dennis as Susanna with Dancers from Phoenix Dance Theatre and members of the Chorus of Opera North
• Dylan Springer held aloft by Tony Polo, Teige Bisnought, Aaron Chaplin and Hannah McGlashon from Phoenix Dance Theatre

This is a wonderful collaboration between many different art forms. Over 300 people were directly involved in its creation and it deserves to be successful. It is both hugely enjoyable and deeply moving.

Opera North's Susanna continues at several venues:

Leeds Grand Theatre
Newcastle Theatre Royal
Lowry, Salford Quays
Theatre Royal, Nottingham

See operanorth.co.uk for full details.