The Royal Opera Announces a Conductor Change For LA BOHEME

Italian conductor Evelino Pidò has withdrawn from conducting performances of La bohème (19 June-6 July 2021) due to ongoing quarantine regulations meaning he is unable to honour his artistic commitments in both London and Madrid.

The two La bohème casts will now be conducted by Renato Balsadonna (June 19, 21, 23, 25, 27, 29, July 1) and Paul Wynne Griffiths (July 3, 6).

Italian conductor Renato Balsadonna was Chorus Director of the Royal Opera Chorus 2004-16, during which time he prepared the Chorus for all their productions with The Royal Opera and The Royal Ballet. As a conductor he has conducted I due Foscari and Nabucco on the main stage and was second conductor in The Minotaur. Since leaving the Royal Opera House he has returned to conduct Madama Butterfly. Balsadonna has conducted Don Quichotte for Grange Park Opera, Don Carlo and Lucia di Lammermoor for Oper Frankfurt, Nabucco and Lucrezia Borgia for the Mariinsky Theatre, St. Petersburg, Madama Butterfly for Teatro La Fenice, Venice and has previously conducted La bohème for Opera North.

British conductor and accompanist Paul Wynne Griffiths is on the music staff of The Royal Opera company. For ROH Paul has conducted operas including Rigoletto, Norma, Don Giovanni, La bohème, Turandot, Madama Butterfly, Tosca, Il barbiere di Siviglia, L'Heure espagnole/Gianni Schicchi and Così fan tutte.

The rest of the cast remains unchanged at this time. Please note that due to covid restrictions and quarantine arrangements casting and creative teams are subject to change.