Photo – Georges AntoniOpera Australia has continued its tradition of welcoming the New Year with Gale Edwards’ exuberant production of La Boheme. And what an excellent choice. Puccini’s well-loved opera is joyful, lively, romantic and tragic and it reminds us of the value of art, the beauty of true love and the importance of following your heart over material wealth: all good reminders at the start of a new year.
Lead by two international performers, Diego Torre (Rodolfo) and Maija Kovalevska (Mimi), Gale Edwards’ production is as flamboyant as it is tender. Edwards has a great knack for establishing the essence of each scene, whether it is the comedic larrikinism of the opening scene, the louche Weimar decadence of Café Momo or the intimate intensity she brings to the each of the scenes between the young lovers.
Diego Torre is a wonderful Rodolfo, the impoverished poet who instantly falls for his true love, Mimi. His tremendous voice, his open face, his unassuming, yet magnificent stage presence, his connection with Kovalevska, even his heart rending final wail is completely riveting. He is vocally matched by Kovalevska’s clean, rich soprano and theatrically by her sunny and honest characterisation. They have a genuine rapport. Ashamed by his poverty, he cruelly tries to distance himself from her when she develops consumption in the hope that she will be cared for by a wealthier suitor.
As a grandiose counterpoint to Rodolfo and Mimi’s pure love is the tempestuous relationship between Musetta and the artist Marcello, beautifully performed by Andrew Jones, which can threaten to upstage the quieter love of the romantic leads. Lorina Gore brings a sassy and self-mocking verve to Musetta, who taunts the poor Marcello into fits of rage, abandoning him for a wealthier suitor, yet constantly craving his attention. They fight, they reconcile. They fight again and reconcile again.
Taking full advantage of the bohemian theme, Edwards’ production is set in 1930s Germany. Costume designer, Julie Lynch dresses the company with a louche flair, depicting the era of extreme wealth, poverty and decadence – the artists in coarse and threadbare cloth, Musetta in sequinned dresses and scarlet silk, the cabaret girls in corsets and rolled down stockings and the men and women of the establishment in furs, pearls and decorated uniforms.
From the glorious, full height painted murals in Marcello’s studio, to the gold painted cabaret balconies adorned in red velour in Café Momo, Brian Thomson’s clever, dazzling set is gorgeous. As someone who sees a lot of theatre productions, it is such a pleasure to see such depth of design and spectacle. Thomson is a master.
If this is a taste of things to come, I look forward to the rest of Opera Australia’s 2015 season. It is also encouraging to see Opera Australia foster young talent, develop new audiences and encourage risk with, for example, the commissioning of The Rabbits by Kate Miller-Heidke. I look forward to see how this plan develops alongside the main 2015 season.
Opera Australia presents
La Bohème
Puccini
Director Gale Edwards
Venue: Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney Opera House
Dates: January 3 – 16, 2015
Bookings: opera.org.au
