La boheme

Synopsis

Puccini's most enduring opera. The story of the love of the poor poet Rodolfo for the consumptive seamstress Mimi. Set in the Latin Quarter of Paris the course of their love is constantly threatened by Rodolfo's jealousy and Mimi's illness. The painter Marcello and the provocative Musetta are the other main characters. This is where 'your tiny hand is frozen' comes from and the last few bars, as Rodolfo realises Mimi is dead, are some of opera's most moving moments.

Our Review:

Keith McDonnell - 1 May 2013

ENO have opened their summer season in style with a newly-minted, endearing and engrossing revival of Jonathan Miller’s staging of La bohème. This is its second revival, and the improvements since it was last seen three years ago are manifold. In 2010 I was pretty dismissive of the whole undertaking as it was glaringly undercast, save Elizabeth Llewellyn’s radiant Mimi, with the staging coming across as an unworthy successor to the late Stephen Pimlott’s which Miller’s version replaced.

All  that has changed as Natascha Metherell directs this revival with such a sure touch. The broad brushstrokes that had so marred its previous outing are now replaced with subtlety and real in-depth characterisation, and for once all the characters appear as flesh and blood creations – there’s no posturing, superfluous movement or ‘operatic’ gesturing, just a gallery of...

Read more of the review

Latest User Review

No reviews yet

Click here to add your review