Oct. 26, 2010 - Issue #784 : You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger
Setting the stage for doomed romance
La Bohème commits to its visual esthetic for payoff
This opera has a nice set of, well, sets. When the curtain first rises on La Bohème, this production’s commitment to the visual esthetic becomes obvious. The first act introduces a small, dingy bachelor pad in Paris. Here live Marcello (Etienne Dupuis) and Rodolfo (Eric Fennell), along with two other friends, Colline (Jon-Paul Décosse) and Schaunard (Benjamin Covey).A large, grey wall looms over their small quarters, evoking the feeling of an urban tenement building and associated concepts: industrialization, poverty and social fragmentation. And we get pulled right into the world of these characters.
To celebrate his new job, Schaunard suggests that the men head out to eat; Rodolfo agrees to join them shortly. Then, neighbour Mimì (Laura Whalen) introduces herself, asking Rodolfo to light her candle, which had gone out. Rodolfo is immediately drawn to the beautiful lady, and they spend some time getting acquainted. By the end of the act, they’re in love.
The most elaborate set appears in the second act; indeed, a three-minute pause between acts was needed to set everything up. But the wait was worth it—the rising curtain reveals a Parisian streetscape that appears almost real. A sidewalk café, a little dress shop, a market and large crowds of people fill every available square inch of the stage, and the result is spectacular, resembling a Dickensian-style Christmas scene in one of those snow-globes. A smattering of audience applause when the curtain first rose confirmed that I was not the only one delighted by the set—this is the first time I’ve ever heard applause at the start of an opera’s act, so that’s saying a lot.
The brilliance of this set is in the details. For instance, the café at the front is the centre of much of the action, but much occurs in the background, too. A small dress shop stands behind the café, and I could see a woman there, pretending to shop. People walk up and down the street, and vendors sell their wares. Children run around and mob a cart selling toys.
It’s in this scene that we meet the spirited Musetta (Miriam Khalil), Marcello’s former lover. She has now arrived with her sugar daddy, Alcindoro (Doug MacNaughton), and she’s determined to make Marcello notice her. The humourous climax and the ensuing parade further contribute to the visually stunning scene. Indeed, I was so drawn into the action and the scene that a loud bang that was part of the parade startled me right out of my seat. Engaging? Oh, yeah.
The next two acts take a more serious turn, and the scenery reflects the emotional turn of the opera. Worried that Mimì isn’t being faithful, Rodolfo admits to Marcello—who has now hooked up again with Musetta—his plan to end the relationship; however, he soon reveals the true reason. Mimì is ill, and Rodolfo blames his poverty and filthy living conditions for Mimì’s inability to get better. Still, the two decide to stay together until the spring. Tall, grey trees, snow and darkness mirror the characters’ pain to great effect.
After another three-minute pause, the first scene re-appears. Rodolfo and Marcello are both single again. But this time, the same room where Rodolfo first met Mimì holds a worse fate: Mimì arrives, deathly ill. She wants to be with Rodolfo one more time before she dies. The same set that once reflected the bachelors’ dire living conditions frames Mimì’s death equally powerfully.
In addition to its visual element, La Bohème also features impressive singing and characterization. The chemistry between the cast is strong, particularly in the scenes between the four bachelors. Rodolfo and Mimì, both quite shy, are well-matched; despite the speed with which they fall in love, the romance remains believable. With much stronger characters and tempers, Marcello and Musetta also seem made for each other; Etienne Dupuis and Miriam Khalil really bring out those characters’ passions. In the second act, the chorus, along with the children, forms an integral part of that scene’s lifelike quality. The kids are obviously giving it their all, and they contribute so much to the overall production. And if that’s not all, we also get lovely arias and duets throughout, notably Rodolfo’s solo in the first act, as well as the duet between Rodolfo and Mimì when they decide when to end their relationship.
La Bohème starts off the opera season with a bang, one that certainly makes an impression. V
Thu Oct 28, (7:30 pm)
La Bohème
Directed by Brian Deedrick
Jubilee Auditorium, $32 – $130
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