Review: La bohème (Royal Opera House)

Review by Sam Waite

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

You’d be forgiven for assuming you aren’t familiar with La bohème, Puccini’s four-act opera concerning the lives of a group of penniless artists in 1800’s Paris. Many of the musical buffs among you, however, will recognise plotlines, circumstances, and even characters, from 90’s awards darling and perennial favourite Rent. Being mostly aware of the story through this then-contemporary lens myself, I was delighted to take my seat at the Royal Opera House and explore how accessible and relevant such classic material could be.

Much like Jonathan Larson’s 20th century spin, La bohème begins with a writer and an artist freezing and impoverished in their attic apartment. Rodolfo, a poet, and Marcello, a painter, distract their elderly landlord from collecting their rent and plan to dine out at the Latin Quarter with the money saved. While Marcello launches tipsily into the night with musician Schaunard and philosopher Colline, Rodolfo hangs back to finish his latest work – this is cut short, however, when their downstairs neighbour arrives to request her candle be relit. The ensuing passions and eventual tragedy are a tale older than storytelling itself, but their power and effectiveness remain.

Puccini’s score is as gorgeous today as it ever was, bringing the requisite blend of tenderness and grandeur, reflecting beautifully the more sizeable, crowd-heavy scenes, and the quiet and intimate moments between lovers. Leading the Opera House’s orchestra through Puccini’s glorious compositions, conductor Speranza Scappucci did a tremendous job, receiving perhaps the biggest round of applause when joining the cast for their final bows. Of course, nothing less than this level of excellence could be expected from the Opera House, whose orchestra were truly on top form for this opening performance.

Joining the ragtag group in the Latin Quarter is tempting exhibitionist Musetta, sung here by a lively Amina Edris. Tasked with leading the more tempestuous of the two romances at play, Edris compliments her clear, strong vocals with a real knack for comedy and a delightful brashness to her performative, scandalous role. As her on-off flame, painter Marcello, Mikhail Timoshenko strikes a charming figure to make his powerful voice, bringing a fun-loving quality to his work and meshing well with Edris to create dynamic onstage spats.

As lovers Rodolfo and Mimì, Pene Pati and Olga Kulchynska make a dazzling pair, his rich tenor and her soaring soprano mixing beautifully as their romance deepens in both its affections and its tragedies. While Pati carries a great deal of charm, easily blending with his raucous and endearing troupe of friends, Kulychynska in particular brings a rich, youthful quality to Mimì, a woman so full of life but whose circumstances are so dire. These principals blend marvellously in with jovial Schaunard and Colline, both sung to perfection by Josef Joengmeen Ahn (stepping in for Jolyon Loy for opening night) and Aleksei Kulagin.

Revival director Ben Mills, continuing the work of Richard Jones, does a wonderful job of using the space, be it confined in their attic home or grandiose in their outing to the Latin Quarter. Running at a more beginner-friendly two and a half hours, this La bohème has only a single interval, transitioning onstage between Stewart Laing’s stunning designs. Laing’s work is utterly astonishing, his Latin Quarter and upscale eatery as magnificent and bright as the attic apartment in purposefully drab and lifeless. The finer details of the bigger sets are a joy to behold, but there is real strength and character to the apartment, worthy of its serving as both a starting and ending point to the piece.

Revival movement director Danielle Urbas, continuing from Sarah Fahie, does strong work with Kulychnska’s Mimì, helping her to dynamically and shockingly collapse or drag herself out of the throes of illness, all without creating any concern for the performer’s own safety. In this weighty, ultimately heartbreaking show, lighting from Mimi Jordan Sherin helps to inject a sense of both beauty and melancholy into the proceedings. Before the curtain rises, a soft light illuminates falling snowflakes, revealed to be falling on the roof where Marcello works. Later, this same snowfall covers the entire stage, reminding us of the bleak, impenetrable winter which worsens our heroes’ many woes.

It would, of course, be unfair to finish this review without acknowledging the large and incredibly skilled chorus members, guided by chorus director William Spaulding. Under Spaulding’s direction, they introduce the idea of grandeur and scale more than sets alone ever could, and their introduction in the second act (still pre-interval) helps to enhance the intimacy of the framing scenes in which only the most important of characters appear.

Rich, utterly captivating, and entirely timeless, La bohème is a roaring success in all areas – as proven by the rapturous applause of its opening night crowd, be they young or old, dressed-to-the-nines or comfortably attired, relative newcomers or decades-attending opera buffs. Blessed with expert creatives, spectacular leading players, and the sheer spectacle of the Opera House itself, this proves not only to shatter hearts, but to warm them in these cold, winter months.

La bohème plays at the Royal Opera House until January 17th 2025

For tickets and information visit https://www.rbo.org.uk/tickets-and-events/la-boheme-details

Photos by Mihaela Bodlovic for The Royal Opera