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La
Bohème |
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Puccini's simple, touching opera offers an absorbing and ultimately pleasant take on love, death and just getting by. The straightforward storyline and strong performances make up for a slightly sloppy production, and even without the live horse trotting onstage this would make for a good evening's entertainment. We begin with the bohemians in Paris. The painter, Marcello, and his writer friend, Rodolfo, face another night in their impoverished apartment, when their friends arrive with unexpected cash, allowing them to go out into a hitherto bleak Christmas Eve and celebrate. But as they leave Rodolfo is delayed as neighbouring Mimi seeks a light for her candle. Love blossoms in the darkness, and the story's course is set. This is all delightfully portrayed, and the bored mien of the (necessary?) walk-on horse - named Rodrigo and regrettably obedient - only reminds us that the characters are genuinely appealing and their adventures absorbing. Sadly, it emerges that Mimi is afflicted with TB, and the love between the victim and Rodolfo, and the empathy of the other characters, renders a moving second half as she fades away. The structure is both a help and hindrance here. La Boheme was written at the beginning of modernism, with nineteenth century romance and gothic flummery displaced by twentieth century clarity and neatness. As such it is incredibly tidy and easy to follow, but the inevitable unity removes the element of surprise. The second half almost suffers then, since we feel that the initial dawn of love must reach a sunset (to paraphrase the lines); we know what's coming. Yet the vitality of the cast and the quality of the conducting keep our interest. Ruslan Zinevych's Rodolfo is visibly love-swept and then devastated, as his love Mimi, played by Larysa Zuenko, degenerates with a humble dignity. The second couple, Marcello and his belle Musetto, threaten to steal the show; Elena Gherman's Musetto is a fantastically tumultuous presence. The orchestra strike chaos at appropriate moments, yet overall they create a warm, mellow sound that suits the amiable, if sad, events. Even the amateurish set changes and embarrassing delays between acts cannot spoil the action. This production of La Boheme is perfectly digestible for opera novices yet remains polished enough - the cast at least - to be rewarding for a more knowledgeable audience. And sooner or later the horse will surely break and cause havoc. Be there. Ben O'Loughlin, 20.03.03 |
