This much-loved opera, first performed in Turin in 1896, is one that companies often turn to as a sure-fire money-spinner — which can sometimes lead to lazy productions. Not so here, with Phyllida Lloyd’s vivid reimagining of the story of the young bohemians and their lovers. It begins with a touch of Jackson Pollock, as Marcello hurls paint at his canvas, and a motorbike sits in the corner of their apartment. We are in 1950s Paris — one of the early homes of the Beat Generation. It’s a clever choice that places the tragic story in a recognisable world, with a nod to the café society of Sartre and de Beauvoir.
The story follows four young men sharing a freezing attic in central Paris. Rodolfo, the poet, meets and falls in love with Mimì, the frail seamstress who lives downstairs. The new couple head to the lively Café Momus on Christmas Eve to celebrate with the other bohemians. Musetta, a singer and flirt-about-town, is the on-off lover of Marcello the painter, and they reunite after some fun and games in the café. But in Acts 3 and 4, the mood darkens as it becomes clear that Mimì is losing her battle with TB — and that Rodolfo cannot bear to watch her fade away. In the end, Musetta brings the dying girl back to the attic, where her life gently ebbs away.
The musical heart of the opera lies in the duets between the two pairs of lovers. In Leeds, Anthony Ciaramitaro (Rodolfo) and Olivia Boen (Mimì) sang with exquisite beauty — their voices blending perfectly. This was exemplified at the end of Act 1 when they sang “Amor, Amor” front-of-curtain (it’s usually sung offstage). Again, in the Act 4 duet as Mimì is dying, they captured all the subtlety of Puccini’s delicate harmonies.
To bring out the full drama, the contrast between the gentle love of Rodolfo and Mimì and the fiery passion of Marcello and Musetta must ignite across the footlights — and it certainly did here. Elin Pritchard and Yuriy Yurchuk sang Musetta and Marcello; Yurchuk, in particular, with his virile baritone and commanding stage presence, was compelling both as Rodolfo’s friend and Musetta’s tempestuous lover. Pritchard made the most of the less-nuanced role of Musetta and sang her Café Momus aria with flair and panache.
The supporting roles were also well sung — Han Kim and Sean Boylan were excellent — and Jeremy Peaker gave a memorable portrayal of Benoît, the hapless landlord, in his final appearance for Opera North after 30 years. The chorus burst into Act 2 like a whirlwind, and the street scenes were a delight, with the children’s chorus in fine voice. The Opera North Orchestra, under Garry Walker’s baton, was faultless.
The production is full of telling touches that illuminate the drama and enrich the setting. There’s the Jackson Pollock moment, Andy Warhol-style portraits of Musetta, and the old motorbike that reappears outside the bar in Act 3 — only to have its tyres slashed by an angry Musetta. Most telling of all, Mimì genuinely looks ill when she returns to the attic in Act 4. None of this is revolutionary, but together these details create a world that feels authentic and heighten the emotional impact of Puccini’s glorious score.
Opera North is on a roll at the moment, and this revival of La Bohème, so lovingly staged, looks set for many more outings. With singers of this calibre and an orchestra of such quality, I cannot wait to see their new productions of Figaro and Peter Grimes next spring.
Composer: Giacomo Puccini
Libretto: Giacosa and Illica
Conductor: Garry Walker
Director: Phyllida Lloyd
Performers incl: Anthony Ciaramitaro, Olivia Boen, Elin Pritchard, Yuriy Yurchuk
Running time: 2 hours 45 Minutes
Dates: until 22 November (multiple venues)
Photo credit Richard H Smith