Embroiled in a passionate love triangle, Clori will not choose between the two men vying for her affection. As Tirsi and Fileno discover the game she is playing, their friendship takes an unexpected turn.

Handel`s one-act opera journeys through love, sex, betrayal and reconciliation. This promenade performance in one of Britain`s best known nightclubs integrates dance and a ten-piece orchestra into the action. We spoke to its director, Lee Blakeley.

`Clori, Tirsi & Fileno` has been billed as Handel`s gay opera. How gay is it really?
It is, as ever, all a question of interpretation. However, I was very unsatisfied with the dramatic conclusion of the work. It is a study of love and the pain caused in love, but the resolution was weak. When we reinstated a duet that Handel had cut at an early stage, a whole new meaning and set of relationships emerged. So it is all in the piece, and the production has sprung from what is there.

What made you decide to promote the gay angle?
It makes sense to contextualise the show. It gave a structure to a type of work, the pastoral, which is not known for its dramatic narrative. It is about relationships, and the gay ones are the ones I know most about :-)

The opera`s being performed at Heaven nightclub. What difficulties has this caused?
None. It has given us freedom to take the show in any direction. Of course, the audience may find it unusual having to stand and move with the action. We are performing in a promenade style. It means they can keep drinks with them and have a good time.

Do you think that it will appeal to people more used to clubbing in Heaven?
Who can say? I believe in crossover arts and events, so I hope we do get some people coming to the show because it is in Heaven; people who would not necessarily go to the Coliseum or the Royal Opera House. The show is accessible, which is not a byline for dumbing down, but we are working with a modern translation which is witty and reflects the freedom of the performing space at Heaven.

After vying for the affection of one woman, the two lead characters, both men, decide to go off together. Is it a relationship that`s likely to last?
Ha, ha, ha. I think it will be fraught with a few challenges. Two recently out men falling into their first gay relationship? I think they will have a lot of fun and fights! I am not sure they will move in together just yet though! I think they will need to explore a few other avenues, but this is a good start for them.

Do you think the piece is still as relevant today as it was when it was first written?
More so. We have taken the liberty of updating it. We have removed it from the rather elevated pastoral setting and made it down-to-earth and recognisable to our audience. I think most of us have been in relationships, or affairs, which are going to hurt. You know they are going to hurt but you run with them anyway. Breaking up with someone, changing partner, cheating when you are in a relationship - yeah it’s recognisable. Scarily so!

What do you hope the audience goes home thinking about after seeing the opera?
There is a great deal of hope in the piece. Yes you get hurt, but you go back for more. I think it is about being open and taking emotional risks. If people go home thinking about letting their guard down I would be happy. You can never fully anticipate that though. If it challenges the beliefs of any of the audience then that is a good thing too. I think people should go away with more questions than answers. I know my mother will!

For you, what`s so special about this work?
The music is stunning; it is compact and takes you on a full journey. I think that the characters are so real, more so than in many of the heroic and magic operas which came later. I think of the relationships I have trashed and see them in the show.

You`ve been trying to get `Clori` performed for quite a while now. What does it feel like to finally see your project come to fruition?
It’s great. The collaboration between Tess Gibbs (choreographer/translator), Derrick Moore (designer), Tim Redmond (conductor) and myself has been a fantastic one. We have gone through several design treatments and possibilities. I think in Heaven we have found the right home for the show.

Handel In Heaven: Clori, Tirsi & Fileno, by George Frideric Handel
Heaven
The Arches, Off Villiers Street
London, WC2N 6NG
Box office: 020 7369 1793

16 and 18 May at 7.30pm. Tickets £18