La Bohème
Glyndebourne Touring Opera
Apollo Theatre, 29th Nov and 2nd Dec, 2000

Hery Murger's tale of poverty, love, jealousy and artistic temperaments, which formed the basis for Puccini's La Bohème, is one that will be perennially relevant. It is as easy to imagine the action taking place in present-day London (as in this new production by David McVicar) as in 19th century Paris. Updating it convincingly might therefore not seem to require any great skill. But Mr McVicar does a great deal more than this: this Bohème is a real visual feast - it is conceived on a large scale, yet impeccable planned to the last detail; it makes good use of an enthusiastic and highly talented young cast; and it is, above all, thoroughly artistic in every sense.

Few productions can be as visually stunning as this one. But it is not just eye-catching: every detail serves to draw the audience deeper into the world of the Bohemians - a world of grotty flats, scarce food, bustling streets and tantalizing restaurants. Michael Vale's set has a key role to play in this. It is a magnificent creation - not only does it revolve in strategic places to keep the action at the optimum angle to the audience, but it also captures with wonderful precision the various locations of the action. Indeed, in places this precision is too great for comfort; for while the chrome, glass and bustle of Momus's café off Oxford Street makes an exhilarating spectacle, the squalor of the artists' garret leaves one wishing Mr Vale had not been quite so painstaking in his attention to details such as corrugated iron, decaying concrete and graffiti.

Such attention to details is, however, what makes this production such a pleasure to watch, and it is evident in many other aspects as well: supernumerary actors, playing, amongst other things, goulish onlookers in the block of flats and tramps, add a final veneer to the atmosphere; and having the toy seller Parpignol led off by police was an inspired touch.
Perhaps most importantly, however (and this may have been deliberately appropriate for an opera about artists), this is an artistic production. The lighting is dramatic without being garish, adding to the emotional intensity and setting off the set and costumes to good effect. These latter are, at times, remarkable: though the main protagonists are attired in the predictable dirty jeans and tattered leather jackets, others - particularly the circus performers who appear at the close of act II - appear in outfits of which the most creative and outlandish of today's fashion designers would be proud. In lighting, too, it is the small points that impress the most: the brief flashing of bare light-bulbs as Mimi and Rodolpho first declare their affection is lovely, as is the slowly dimming spotlight on the pair in the final scene.

It is refreshing to see La Bohème performed by singers as young as the characters they play. Most of the cast make their Glyndebourne debut with this production, and all acquit themselves admirably, acting with real flair and injecting the piece with a delightful sense of youthful vigour. It is a shame that Louis Langrée did not make more allowances for the youth of the singers and keep the colossal power of the Glyndebourne Touring Opera Orchestra under a tighter reign. But this is a small flaw in what is a thoroughly uplifting production, bursting with vitality, ideas and beauty.

Matthew Rogers, 29 / 11 / 00