Opera Holland Park La Boheme (2023). We laughed! We cried!

Opera Holland Park’s La bohème has memorable staging and standout vocals.

La bohème is a Scintillating New Production for Opera Holland Park

Giacomo Puccini’s La bohème may be the most famous opera of all time: the spartan, gloomy scenes of impoverished Bohemian life are balanced by colourful street scenes and punctuated by dramatic arias. I always look forward to the warm, convivial meal in Café Momus in Act II which takes my mind off these freezing living conditions, lack of food and a dying heroine.

The popularity of La bohème lies in its pathos. Audiences are often moved to tears. For me, the acid test is plausibility. Do I feel that I am freezing in Paris? Am I convinced by the camaraderie of the flat sharers?  Do I feel that Rodolfo is in love with Mimi and is Musetta sufficiently exasperating?

La Boheme is Set in a 1950s Film Studio

Director, Natascha Metherill makes her Holland Park debut with an unusual twist on this 1896 classic setting it in a 1950s Italian film studio where our Bohemians are filming La Vie Parisienne.

In Act I, Adam Gilbert as Rodolfo, warmed gently to Mimì (Katie Bird), a wardrobe girl, who knocks on his attic door asking for a light for her candle. Rodolfo moves from awkward suitor to a star struck lover, all in the space of a short duet. Their sumptuous voices intensify as they become increasingly more enamoured and besotted.

The Italian film studio staging is not entirely successful and you are left puzzled why Rodolfo is wearing smart trousers, a red tie and a business shirt. It also seems unlikely that he would burn his film script in frustration at not being paid.  However, this concept does effectively resolve an issue which is how to make use of  the extra wide stage and additional stage in front of the audience pit. The back of the stage is the wardrobe department and scene cloth back drops while the protruding front stage is the preserve of the cameraman who is pushed along as if on a dolly.

Commendable Set and Costume Designs

Designer, Madeleine Boyd’s evocative street scenes are straight out of a Belle Époque poster; women in black, ruched dresses and feathered hats and men equally resplendent in tail coats and top hats were all carefully accentuated in a deep Parisian red.  The staging was enhanced by some memorable choreography of children chanting, dancing and clapping. In the midst of this, the toy seller, Papaginoli (Philip Costovski), clambers on his box and does his Greatest Show Man routine. A perfect slice of French life.

Opera Holland Park La bohème  Comic Elements

The arrival of Benoît (Henry Grant Kerswell) is always a treat; the landlord who comes to collect his rent but becomes entrapped by over sharing with his tenants who then taunt him over his womanising and throw him out. Kerswell did not disappoint, dressed in a baggy suit with a splendid voice and comical moves. Later, he plays Alcindor at the Café Momus, an elderly suitor who is perfect prey for the women of the night. Much hilarity ensues from his oafish gestures and nauseating table manners.

Musetta, a Femme Fatale with Strong Vocals

There was a standout performance from Musetta (Elizabeth Karani) with her big voice and equally large repertoire of femme fatale poses…a scary wench if there ever was one. In her duet with Marcello (Ross Ramgobin) there’s no need to read the surtitles, or speak fluent Italian, to realise that he was singing something on the lines of “Wimmen! Can’t live with them and can’t live without them”.

Directing and Conducting Triumphed Over the Usual La bohème Pitfalls

One of the tricky issues in directing La bohème concerns the Act IV attic scene with its macho camaraderie between Rodolfo, Schaunard, Colline and Marcello. If played towards the audience, it looks awkward and unconvincing and if acted more naturally facing each other, it is difficult to distinguish the voices. Natascha Metherill manages to get this just right.

The British bass, Barnaby Rea, in the role of Colline, decides to pawn his beloved jacket to pay for Mimi’s medicines. He sings “Vecchia zimarra” with deep, powerful vocals and laddish, gallic gestures. The conductor is to be commended for ensuring that this aria is nice and slow as befitting a funeral dirge.

The City of London Sinfonia Orchestra Capably Led by George Jackson

The City of London Sinfonia was capably conducted by George Jackson. He produced an almost cinematic, musical backdrop to the action leaving plenty of space for occasional pieces which were sung a capella. The music in the street scenes was bright and lively. Violins exquisitely played some befitting, sadder notes when the lovers decide to separate and on Mimì’s death scene.

Opera Holland Park’s La bohème Ticks Most of My Boxes

While the 1950s fit set staging was not entirely plausible, Opera Holland Park ensures that its La bohème is a knockout with a poignant capture of love, forceful arias, warm street vignettes, cosy café scenes and joyful camaraderie set against a backdrop of poverty, parting and death.  There were many wet eyes in the house as the lights went up.

If you enjoy opera you may like to read our other opera reviews. We have previously reviewed ENO’s La bohème. If you are new to opera you may also enjoy our blog post on tips for a perfect night at the London opera.

Performances until 5 August 2023. A few tickets remain and they can be purchased from the Opera Holland Park La Boheme website.

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