Review: LA BOHÈME, Royal Ballet And Opera

On the opening night of director Richard Jones's excellent production of Giacomo Puccini's La bohème, England's captain, Harry Kane, leads his team to the last 16 after scoring two goals against the Democratic of Congo in the World Cup. Concurrently, another decisive victory is pulled off by an equally promising young man, 35-year-old Italian conductor Lorenzo Passerini, in his debut with The Royal Opera at Covent Garden.

A former trombonist, Passerini delivers a powerful performance to an entranced audience, holding the youthful singers – some of whom also make their debuts – the Royal Opera House's accomplished orchestra and sizeable chorus together as one striking team. While Kane scores, Passerini gets the most out of Puccini's score.

A tragic-comedy, La Boheme is about four, young struggling Bohemians – a poet, painter, musician and philosopher – struggling in 1830s Paris. On Christmas Eve, their seamstress neighbour Mimi knocks on the door to get a light for her candle. She falls in love with poet Rodolfo, but things turn dark when the bleak reality of Mimi's illness hits the group. Rodolfo and Mimi are eventually separated when Mimi (SPOILER ALERT) dies of tuberculosis.

La Boheme premiered at Turin's Teatro Regio in 1896 (debuting at Covent Garden the following year), making 2026 the opera's 130th anniversary. Jones's version of La Boheme, first opened at the Royal Opera House on September 11, 2017, conducted by Antonio Pappano and Paul Wynne Griffiths. It has been reprised several times. This year the production, which features two talented casts, is co-produced by Teatro Real, Madrid, and Lyric Opera of Chicago.

On opening night, tenor Freddie De Tommaso as Rodolfo and Juliana Grigoryan as Mimi make a convincing couple, with De Tommaso's engaging "Che, gelida manina" (Your tiny hand is frozen) and Grigoryan's sweet "Si, mi chiamano Mimi" (Yes, they call me Mimi). Their romantic duet, "O soave faniculla" (O lovely maid) ends Act I on a high note, literally, with soprano Grigoryan sustaining a faultless high C at the end.

Act II kicks off with a spectacular set change, turning the penniless artists' garret into a vibrant street scene, with brightly lit shopfronts, Christmas Eve revellers and marching soldiers with band – thanks to Stewart Laing's sumptuous design, Mimi Jordan Sherin's radiant illuminations and inventive marshalling by movement director Sarah Fahie.

Marina Monzo's lively rendition of Musetta steals the scene in a show-stopping "Quando m'en vo" (When I go along) in a bustling Cafe Momus. Wearing a seductive, crimson dress Musetta insists on maintaining her independence – but later, conveys her humanity.

Other accolades go to Italian baritone, Luca Micheletti, in the role of Marcello, and wonderful bass singer, Gianluca Buratto, playing Colline.

Just as crowds cheered joyfully when Kane and his teammates celebrated their win, this Covent Garden audience also rightfully applauded an impressive Passerini and his musicians and artists in a classic tale of love and anguish.

Royal Ballet & Opera's La Boheme runs at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden until 25 July.

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