I've seen Phyllida Lloyd’s production of La Bohème, for Opera North, more times than I can remember since its first showing back in 1993, but it still catches the tragic-comedy of Puccini’s opera beautifully, and finishes (if it’s handled rightly) in devastating style as its young protagonists face up to the death of Mimì, the heroine.
It’s transported in time to the 1950s (or the early 1960s?), which I think does work. Some of its audience might look back on that time as the one of their own youthful loves and losses – though not so many as did 20 years ago, and maybe Opera North should be thinking of a new production of La Bohème for the next time round.
"The orchestra, under conductor Andreas Delfs, was poised, assured and idiomatic in the vast majority of the score, but occasionally too heavy for that intimacy to bloom, or for the fast mood-changes of the score"
Meanwhile, though, this one still lives and moves, if its actors are believable, and Phyllida Lloyd’s take on the story includes a vigorous focus on the jealous relationship of Marcello, the aspiring painter, and Musetta, the laid-back (in every way) girl-about-town, as well as the ‘real’ heroine and hero, Mimì and young writer Rodolfo.
The week of performances has been double-cast, so on opening night we saw only half of the singers with names in the programme.
But this team certainly could bring their roles to life: it was when he interacted with Mimì and the others that Ji-Min Park (Rodolfo) was most like a real young man in love, while left to himself he sometimes went into cheesy operatic tenor mould. But he has a fine voice and mostly lived his role, as did Anita Watson (Mimì).
In the big act one love scene and its reminiscences later they found intimate tenderness and beauty.
The orchestra, under conductor Andreas Delfs, was poised, assured and idiomatic in the vast majority of the score, but occasionally too heavy for that intimacy to bloom, or for the fast mood-changes of the score.
Duncan Rock (Marcello) was in warm vocal form and for my money one of the best characterisations.
Sky Ingram made a very good fist of Musetta, too, one of the most challenging roles to embody with musical integrity and without caricature.
Barnaby Rea (Colline) and John Savournin (Schaunard) were also highly effective once they’d got the feel of the theatre.
I liked Jeremy Peaker’s presentation of Benoît the landlord, a nice comic cameo, and of course the chorus of children in their Christmassy costumes were delightful.
