La Bohème

After 41 years virtually unchanged in the ROH repertory, Puccini’s La Bohème is well due a new production. Director Richard Jones and designer Stewart Laing, in collaboration with conductor Antonio Pappano bring together an experienced cast and the sets are magnificent. Framed by a jet-black background, plus the constant fall of snow, they appear to hang in an eerie timeless void.

An attic is where we find Rodolfo (Michael Fabiano) and Marcello (Mariusz Kwiecień), discussing their ways and wheres, to be joined by Colline (Luca Tittoto) and Schaunard (Florian Sempey). While technically on the nose, there’s a forced rapport between them and the temperature hovers close to that of the copiously falling snow outside.

However, left to Rodolfo and Mimi (Nicole Car) things pick up and there’s a more tangible relationship here. Their duet is a charm and injects some warmth into what was beginning to feel like an endurance.

An impressive set change into the Parisian Latin Quarter opens Act II, and a very crowded stage, that has plenty of good natured hustle and a bustle, it’s Christmas Eve! Another change of set and we are in a restaurant and we witness the entrance, in a strikingly beautiful red dress, of Musetta (Simona Mihai) with the doddering Alcindoro (Wyn Pencarreg).

This is when La Bohème steps up a gear, with her dismissal of Alcindoro and then flirting with Marcello playfully, almost evilly. Mihai is as delightful minx here, as she’s is a thoughtful friend as events take a darker turn later on.

The opera doesn’t quite reach those heights again, although the exchange between Marcello and Mimi’s at the start of Act III is stirring. Trouble is as the Act progresses there is the very odd sight of the tavern moving, albeit very slowly, across the stage. This happens while the quartet of Marcello, Mimi, Musetta and Rodolfo sing ‘dolce svegliare’. And it’s a fantastic performance from the singers but once my eye caught the travelling tavern, it became a distraction adding some unwanted Python to what should have been one of the highlights.

Act IV and the tiresome boys are back in the attic until the tragic, consumptive Mimi is found by Musetta. This however does build to the death of Mimi. This is moving and the ‘Sono Andati’ is beautiful. The opera ends with Rodolfo cradling Mimi and the others standing in line at the back, as if waiting for a firing squad.

Of course, no one deserves that because fundamentally this is a slick, technically impressive production. In the end my niggling doubts about is success concern the four male friends; something there just didn’t click right.

Continues September 19, 23, 25, 29 then October 3,6,7,10

Photograph courtesy of the Royal Opera House and Catherine Ashmore