Musetta is a bombshell, smiling a winning smile as she kicks Alcindro well into the distance to go a few more rounds with Marcello. Nothing beats the showstopper of the second act, however the dazzling Musetta centre-stage at Cafe Momus, an explosion of little to no clothing and sensuality sumptuous movement and swinging hips and free, ringing voices. Their passion brings forth with real clarity the quieter passionate rumblings in Rodolfo and Mimi’s locked gazes and the resulting tableau is beautiful. While Rodolfo and Mimi fall out, part, and ultimately reconcile, downstage, isolated, and still in a world of only each other, Marcello and Musetta are tearing each other apart, figuratively and very close to literally, behind them, framed by a giant doorway. But Rodolfo lights her candle, and they light up for each other a tender love story hampered only by Rodolfo’s jealousy and Mimi’s illness.Įdwards’ production manages to frame Rodolfo and Mimi’s story in perfect opposition with Marcello and Musetta’s (Lorina Gore) firebrand Musetta, who will do what she wants and gets what she wants, is as tempestuous, demanding, and relentless as Mimi is sweet-hearted and shy and loyal, and this has never been clearer than in Edwards’ staging of the third act. From the moment Rodolfo meets Mimi (Maija Kovalevska), it’s already coming she is cold and coughing, unsteady, unwell.

Joined by friends Colline (David Parkin) and Schaunard (Shane Lowrencev), they are a rollicking good time. It’s sincere pretension, reckless bohemia, but it’s such good fun you forgive their affectations. There’s something so invigorating about that, and the story fits in perfectly – artists Rodolfo (Diego Torre) and Marcello (Andrew Jones) painting their walls and burning their writing for warmth. Photo by Branco Gaica.Įdwards’ production moves the story from 1830s Paris to 1930s Berlin, the end of the era of Weimar cabaret and a sense of artistic, sexual, and personal liberation, at least for a hot minute. Gyula Nagy and Peter Kellner complete the quartet of bohemians.Gale Edwards’ La bohème is in another return season for Opera Australia, and as a first-time viewing in the 2015 season, it sparkles like it was new.īest known to legions of musical theatre fans as the inspiration for Rent, but known outside of that bubble as one of the most famous operas in the world, Puccini’s love story painted over with the brush of bohemia is light and affecting all at once. Andrzej Filończyk is a reliable Marcello. The first night Musetta, Aida Garifullina, vocally bright and brilliant on house debut, shows she learns about life, moving from the good-time girl who stands on a restaurant table and removes her underwear in act two to a severely dressed adult in act four. She looks perfect in the role and phrases tenderly, but with the necessary weight when required. Simona Mihai, who sings Musetta later in the run, replaced the indisposed Sonya Yoncheva at short notice as Mimi. On the opening night, Charles Castronovo is an ardently persuasive Rodolfo, who manages to mature emotionally as the opera progresses his dark, almost baritonal tenor rises comfortably to all challenges. This 12-performance revival is double- and, in some cases, triple-cast. Charles Castronovo as Rodolfo, Andrzej Filończyk as Marcello, Peter Kellner as Colline and Gyula Nagy as Schaunard in La Bohème.

La boheme opera melbourne reviews