Ever the crowdpleaser, Puccini’s La Bohème never lost its romantic allure for generations of opera goers. Though WNO did have a timeless staging, this was disposed of in the last decade for Annabel Arden’s other traditional vision.
This is the third time round we’ve seen this take on La Bohème with WNO, yet the magic just isn’t here. Maybe it’s the agitating sliding mirrors which remain out of place, or just the fact that no risks are taken. La Bohème has terrible pacing issues, to boot: characters meet, fall madly in love, eat, drink, have a tiff, and then tragedy ensues. If ever there was proof of an opera missing an entire act you can look no further than La Bohème, though it does make a compact work even with the gaping hole within. I also find the piece peaks in the first act with the famously stirring duo of famous arias from the lovers.
The sets and costumes of Stephen Brimson Lewis adds a chromatic hue to fashionable Parisian bohemia, the hipsters of their day. The dark sight is complemented by Nina Dunn, who sets Paris in an almost photonegative scope. The squalid flat, met with the bright cafe and snow-kissed tollgate, all feature. It’s the charming nature of the second act that also shines: Musetta’s lush aria and presence are a highlight, along with the little monkey fella and the chattering children chorus. With all the similarities to Verdi’s La Traviata, our heroine Mimi dies of tuberculosis, the love of her life Rodolfo not able to save her from her health nor their tempestuous relationship.
The lead cast is pleasant, if less affecting than they might be. As Rodolfo, Luis Gomes is adorable and feels like the real deal, though some strain came out through some smooth passages. Anush Hovhannisyan is a surprisingly earthy Mimi, feeling right for the part and acting well too – and Musetta, the brilliant gold-digging flirt, is played with aplomb by Haagee Lee. You can have a good time with this role and Lee certainly is: the grinding holt of the final act redeems the character with some humanity after much decadence.
The other supporting Bohemians are well suited in their spots, while conductor Pietro Rizzi drenched Cardiff in the familiar thrill of Puccini – the orchestra almost hovering, such is the loved-up intensity. Go see WNO’s La Bohème, but tissues are as ever essential.
La Bohème, Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff Bay, Sun 25 Sept
Also at the Wales Millennium Centre on Tue 27 Sept, Sat 5 Oct + Sun 6 Oct; then Venue Cymru, Llandudno on Sat 12 + Sun 13 Oct, followed by a tour in England.
words JAMES ELLIS
