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A universally resonant revival of a timeless classic

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Puccini’s ‘La Bohème’ – one of the most well-known and frequently performed works in the entire operatic repertoire – is the latest production by Opera North to grace the Lowry, returning after the popularity of previous runs. Presented as a series of vignettes centred on a group of young, struggling Bohemians in Paris, this 4-act opera is an emotional rollercoaster from the first to the last.

Phyllida Lloyd’s acclaimed take on La Bohème breathes an invigorating life into a story originally set in the 1830s, a time that anyone attending an opera today will have little to no context for. Accordingly, Lloyd updates the setting to something more in line with what a modern audience might typically associate with the word “Bohemian” – the 1960s.

Motorcycles, leather jackets, fingerless glove, Parisian cafes, pop art adorning the walls of paint-splattered art-studios – in terms of the costuming and set-design, it’s all there. From the opening curtain of the first act, the audience already has a strong sense of the types of characters and scenes that will tug on their heartstrings for the next 2 hours.  Updating the setting in this way is a crucial step in helping the audience to connect with the characters, which is top priority for an opera with the intense emotional drive of La Bohème.

The first act sets up the lives of struggling poet Rodolfo, and his artist friends as they try to make rent and keep warm in the cold Parisian winter. The performances were immediately inviting and packed with humour, every subtle action and exchanged look acting as a window into the nature of the relationships between this long-time group of friends.

 After his friends leave, Rodolfo unexpectedly encounters the female lead Mimi, leading into the famous aria ‘Che gelida manina’ (Your tiny hand is frozen) – in which he introduces himself – followed by Mimì’s ‘Mi chiamano Mimì’ (They call me Mimì).

The vocal performances for these arias were sublime – Anthony Ciaramitaro delivered a robust tenor as Rodolfo, captivating the audience with his stage presence. The subsequent breathtaking performance by Olivia Boen as Mimì was one of the high points of the show for me. Hearing the stirring delivery of emotional swells (“But when springtime comes… the first rays of sunshine are mine”) carried by the torrential force of the incredible orchestra, I caught myself realising (being new to opera) – “Oh… so this is why people love it.”

The second act – set in a lively cafe in a town square – I particularly noted for the energy present on stage at all times. Large crowds of shoppers, children, diners and our main characters flow through and around each other seamlessly, with hundreds of small interactions happening in the background simultaneously to the main performances, giving the whole scene an authenticity and liveliness that’s easy to get absorbed into.

Here we were also introduced to Musetta, a strong, independent leopard-print-coat-wearing diva, whose performance by Elin Pritchard brings an extra comically flamboyant punch to the production.

In this way, the first two acts play much like a rom-com, which makes the tragedy of the final two all the more devastating. The individual performances of the talented cast all come together to deliver a heart-wrenching finale, which is bound to give even the most stoic audience member a lump in their throat.

La Boheme isoften recommended to newcomers to opera for the accessibility and universality of its libretto and music and, frankly, I couldn’t think of a better way to dip your toes into this incredible art form than Opera North’s unforgettable production of this classic.