LA BOHEME by Puccini (Canadian Opera Company). At the Four Seasons Centre (145 Queen West). Runs to October 30. $12-$365. 416-363-8231. See listings. Rating: NNNN
La Boheme’s enormous popularity can sometimes be a hindrance. How do you make this much-seen opera work for jaded seen-it-all types and first-timers alike?
The Canadian Opera Company’s new production finds inspiration in the creative renaissance in Paris during Puccini’s era. The opera’s four male bohemians are artists and philosophers, so wouldn’t it make sense for them to ply their trades?
Hence we see poet Rodolfo (Dimitri Pittas, on opening night) scribbling notes as he meets his poor, sickly neighbour, Mimi (Grazia Doronzio), with whom he’s falling in love. And painter Marcello (Joshua Hopkins) expresses his mixed feelings for his on-again, off-again girlfriend, Musetta (Joyce El-Khoury), by hauling out his easel and filling up canvases.
In an intriguing move, director John Caird uses those canvases to help make up David Farley’s set. This adds a verite feel to the proceedings that works better in some scenes than others, but certainly makes transitions between acts easy. Some paintings are flipped around and moved to suggest alternate cityscapes.
Caird’s decades of experience helming theatre and musicals make him ideal for finding both nuance and drama. These characters live and breathe, not just in their soaring melodies but in other moments, too, checking out a trinket at a street fair or flirting with someone at the next table.
This is certainly the best group of singing actors I’ve seen on an opera stage in a while. Pittas is youthfully ardent but focused enough to be believable as a writer Doronzio is beguiling and coy, but also smart Hopkins is the impulsive, extrovert artist to a T and El-Khoury (who also plays Mimi in some performances) is playful and passionate, in complete control of her power over men.
Christian Van Horn and Phillip Addis add individuality to Colline and Schaunard.
Carlo Rizzi and the COC Orchestra bring out all the lush harmonies in the score, but at times the balance is off and the singers can’t be heard.
And pay special attention to Michael James Clark’s lighting, especially in the final act, which shifts subtly from realistic to romantic to almost religious as the familiar tragedy plays out amidst a thousand sniffles.
