Last night Stu and I went to the ENO to see Jonathan Miller's brilliant revived staging of Puccini's powerfully popular opera La Bohème.
Atmospherically updated to 1930s Paris, this uber-romantic story of young love blighted by sudden tragedy unfolds on cinematically realistic sets inspired by the iconic photographs of Cartier-Bresson and Brassaï.
The story started with the lovers Mimì and Rodolfo meeting. Then falling in love. The ups and downs of their lives together and apart. And then Mimì was feeling a bit peeky. And then Rodolfo, who was a poet, went from being lost in her eyes to being lost for words. And when Mimì died, Rodolfo was just simply... lost.
He should have perhaps known that when a leading lady coughs in Act 3 she'll be dead by the end of Act 4. This is opera after all.
The cast were great. The orchestra sublime. And the staging simply wonderful. Five stars for Mr Miller. A great revival.
Atmospherically updated to 1930s Paris, this uber-romantic story of young love blighted by sudden tragedy unfolds on cinematically realistic sets inspired by the iconic photographs of Cartier-Bresson and Brassaï.
The story started with the lovers Mimì and Rodolfo meeting. Then falling in love. The ups and downs of their lives together and apart. And then Mimì was feeling a bit peeky. And then Rodolfo, who was a poet, went from being lost in her eyes to being lost for words. And when Mimì died, Rodolfo was just simply... lost.
He should have perhaps known that when a leading lady coughs in Act 3 she'll be dead by the end of Act 4. This is opera after all.
The cast were great. The orchestra sublime. And the staging simply wonderful. Five stars for Mr Miller. A great revival.
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