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| Maija Kovaleska (Mimi) and Diego Torre (Rodolfo) Photo: Branco Gaica |
Andrea Molino
Director:
Gale Edwards
Set Designer:
Brian Thomson
Costume Designer:
Julie Lynch
Lighting Designer:
John Rayment
Opera Australia,
Joan Sutherland Theatre,
Performance on 6th
January reviewed by Bill Stephens
Like many before
me, "La Boheme" was the opera in which I discovered how deeply moving
the heady mix of great music, drama and visuals could be. My epiphany took
place during a 1973 performance of "La Boheme", given by the Australian
Opera in the Canberra Theatre. Eilene Hannan and Henri Wilden played Mimi and
Rodolfo on a romantic setting created by Tom Lingwood. I was so deeply moved
that following the finale, I had to quickly locate a dark corner in which to
compose myself.
Since then I've
seen many productions of "La Boheme", including a couple that were
frankly dreadful, but most often I still find myself moved by the plight of
these four rather silly lovers.
Gale Edwards’ current
production for Opera Australia, set in the decadence of 1930’s Berlin with its
overtones of emerging Nazism, has become a favourite. The morphings of Brian
Thomson’s spiegletent-inspired setting remain as intriguing as they are
spectacular. So do Julie Lynch’s stunning Café Momus costumes.
As good as
previous casts of this production have been the singing of current cast is
simply breathtaking. Mexican tenor, Diego Torre is a revelation. His stunning
singing soon makes you forget that while physically, he’s not particularly
suited to the role of Rodolfo, being very much in the Pavarotti mould, his
gloriously lush tenor compels you to hang on to every golden note of his
beautifully phrased vocals. However, it is his acting of the role which is the
big surprise. Energetic, engaging, funny, passionate and finally, bereft, his
Rodolfo is completely believable and lovable.
Matching him
vocally as the object of his passion, Latvian soprano, Maija Kovalevska was
also impressive. Although her Mimi initially seemed rather too knowing and manipulative
to garner much sympathy for her plight, as the opera progressed, with the realization
that she was prepared to resort to prostitution for survival, her apparent
seduction of the gullible Rodolfo in the first act becomes an understandable and
interesting interpretation. Her final death scene in Act 1V was beautifully
managed and moving.
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| Lorina Gore (Musetta) Photo: Branco Gaica |
The growth in the
confidence and artistry of Lorina Gore as Musetta has been fascinating to
watch, and she is quickly emerging as a glamorous new star for Opera Australia.
Her singing is thrilling, and the motivations of her carefully honed Musetta,
at first confident, spoilt, flirtatious and shallow, but then warm, caring and
thoughtful as Mimi’s plight becomes obvious, are clearly accomplished. It will
be interesting to see her undertake the role of Violetta in "La
Traviata" later in the year.
Completing the
strong quartet of lovers, Andrew Jones, smouldering as the jealous painter,
Marcello, also continues to impress with his strong confident singing and
passionate acting. Shane Lowrencev (Schaunard), David Parkin (Colline), Graeme
Macfarlane (Benoit) and Adrian Tamburini (Alcindoro) all contribute strongly
sung and, well-delineated characterisations.
And if all this
vocal and visual spendour were not enough, Puccini’s glorious music had seldom
sounded better than on this occasion. Seemingly pleased with what he was
hearing, Maestro Andrea Molino carefully guided the Australian Opera and Ballet
Orchestra through every lush and dramatic nuance of this marvelous score to
produce a performance satisfying enough to send at least one happy camper out
into the balmy Sydney night glowing with nostalgic recollections of his first
encounter with “La Boheme” back in 1973.