The WA Opera’s last production for their season showcasing the Divo opened at His Majesty’s Theatre last week, a magnificent modern take on ‘La Boheme’.
Written by Giacomo Puccini, La Boheme first permiered in 1896 and told of a story of Bohemians living in Paris.
This production from the WA Opera keeps the Bohemians in Paris but updates their setting to the modern day and it’s a great success.
The show begins with poet Rodolfo and painter Marcello freezing in their Paris apartment, their are joined by their friends Philosopher Colline and Schaunard a musician. While this is set in Paris, they could just as easily be living off Beaufort Street.
Their landlord arrives and demands the rent, they distract him with a few drinks and then take off to the local cafe. Rodolfo stays behind to finish his work, promising to join the rest of the crew later. Soon enters their neigbour Mimi – and a love affair between Rodolfo and Mimi begins.
Down at the cafe the femme fatale Muscetta appears with her wealthy admirer Alcindoro. Muscetta notices Marcello and liking the look of him, pretends to have a shoe that is too tight and sends her admirer off to get it fixed, while he is gone she joins Marcello at the cafe – and a second love affair begins.
The remainder of the story is a tale of two couples going through the motions of make ups and break up with maximum dramatic effect.
The performance of Rachelle Durkin as Muscetta is brilliant, she pushed the comedy aspect of her role as far as it can go, but yet in the second half of the show gives the character heart and depth. Garrett Sorenson and Natalie Aroyan are charming as the Rodolfo and Mimi, while Jose Carbo brings great passion to the role of Marcello.
The most brilliant part of this production is the set designed by Stephen Curtis, especially in the third act. The first act begins an apartment building, we see into the four bohemians room, but also into the world of an elderly couple upstairs and Mimi’s room as well. This building disappears and for the second act we see colourful market, looking remarkably like the Subiaco Station Markets or Gosnell’s Railway market – it shows us that great love stories can occur anywhere.
In the third act the action is transported to a large industrial building, a giant roller door reveals it’s snowing outside, there a busy cafes and a vagrant circles around a larger skip bin. As Mimi and Rodolfo debate whether their love can continue carious characters pass by taking out their rubbish to the bins. It’s surprisingly beautiful.
La Boheme is filled with romance, stunningly visual staging and a mountain of comedy that makes it an incredibly enjoyable opera.
La Boheme is on at His Majesty’s Theatre on November 5, 7 and 9.
Graeme Watson
