La Boheme - Riverside Theatre (NSW)
Composed by Giacomo Puccini. Libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa.
An epic, soaring, timeless love story that brings 1970s Bohemian Paris to regional Australia
Reviewed by Chanele Mao
Opera Australia
Riverside Theatre, Parramatta
Season: 24 August 2024
Opera Australia is nearing the end of their regional, national tour, performing one of the world’s most beloved operas of all time, Giacomo Puccini's La Bohème. This classic opera premiered in the late 1800s and has inspired many modern masterpieces like the film, Moulin Rouge and the musical Rent. Directed by Dean Bryant, this production transports the love story to 1970s France, making this opera more relatable to modern audiences.
La Bohème or 'The Bohemian', simmers with youthful passion, heartache, and the timeless struggle of love and poverty in Bohemian Paris. At the heart of La Bohème is a love story between a struggling writer, Rodolfo (John Longmuir) and a poor seamstress, Mimi (Danita Weatherstone). They meet one night when Mimi’s candle dies out and she is looking for a light, some warmth, and maybe companionship whilst being relatively new to Paris and the Latin Quarter. In the dark, on all fours, whilst looking for her house key, Rodolfo and Mimi’s hands meet, and the rest they say, is history.
From the very first note, the music of La Bohème tugs at the heartstrings. Puccini's masterpiece score weaves together delicate arias and soaring accompaniment that evoke the raw emotions of the characters. Under the baton of a conductor, Simon Bruckard, the chamber orchestra delivers a performance that is both dynamic and sensitive, perfectly capturing the opera's emotional depth.
Photos by Jeff Busby
Longmuir’s Rodolfo is tender, robust, and conveys the passion and desperation of a young poet in love. Mimi, portrayed by Weatherstone, embodies the youthful spirit, hope and fragility of life, making her tragic journey all the more heartbreaking. The chemistry between the two leads is palpable, and their duets are nothing short of mesmerising.
Equally impressive are the supporting cast; the fiery Musetta and the bohemian painter Marcello with their tumultuous relationship, add another layer of complexity to the narrative. The children’s chorus are a highlight - it's great to see the youths involvement in the story telling as well.
The set of La Bohème is presented as a purple sheet-like backdrop that acts like the curtains of Rodolfo’s apartment, which he shares with the other struggling artists. The Eiffel Tower and Café Momus is in the distance, as seen from the kitchen. The setting evokes a real Friends sitcom vibe, with the orange/brown sofa in the middle of the living room, which also plays into the strong bonds of friendship that the artists share with each other.
La Bohème is a story of fleeting love, chance meetings, the joys and sorrows of youth, and the inevitability of loss. This fully staged production leaves the audience with a lingering sense of beauty and melancholy. Whether you’re a seasoned opera-goer or new to the art form, this production of La Bohème is an experience that will resonate with you long after the final curtain falls.
CREATIVES
CONDUCTOR Simon Bruckard
DIRECTOR Dean Bryant
SET & COSTUME DESIGNER Isabel Hudson
LIGHTING DESIGNER Damien Cooper
CHILDRENS CHORUS MASTER Su Choung
CAST
MIMI Danita Weatherstone, Maia Andrews
RODOLFO John Longmuir, Nick Kirkup
MUSETTA Cathy-Di Zhang, Jane Magão
MARCELLO Andrew Williams, Benjamin Del Borrello
SCHAUNARD Michael Lampard, Daniel Ott
COLLINE Shane Lowrencev, Eddie Muliaumaseali’i
BENOIT/ALCINDORO Eugene Raggio
ORCHESTRA
LEADER & FIRST VIOLIN Ben Spiers
SECOND VIOLIN Natasha Conrau
VIOLA Ariel Postmus
CELLO Stephanie Arnold
DOUBLE BASS Lillian Bennett
FLUTE Jonathan Henderson
OBOE Noah Rudd
CLARINET Oliver Crofts
BASSOON Chris Martin
HORN Rebecca Luton
TRUMPET Adam Davis
TROMBONE Cian Malikides
KEYBOARD Su Choung
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