This production of Puccini’s classic remains in the 19th century but pushes boundaries in contemporary fashion.<\/b>
\nFew operas are better known or more frequently performed than \u201cLa Boh\u00e8me,\u201d Giacomo Puccini\u2019s simple and beautiful tale of love in Paris \u2014 the city synonymous with it.
Among the big questions for today\u2019s stage directors is whether they stick with tradition or try to update this 1896 work in some radical or not-so-radical way. For the production now at the Lyric Opera House, director Richard Jones largely opted for the former, keeping the setting in the 19th century with top hats and long dresses but still refreshing it with a decided spirit and spunk and a few contemporary undertones.
At the same time, he played up the spartan lifestyle of the four artists. Mim\u00ec dies lying on a truly raggedy rug and pillow. And the Bohemians\u2019 white, barn-like attic apartment with its prominent roof trusses has none of the romanticism of the Parisian garrets often depicted in productions of this opera.
Indeed, stage and costume designer Stewart Laing (making his Lyric debut) put the emphasis on spareness, even starkness, playing up both the poverty and wintry cold. The only exception was his gloriously opulent depiction of Paris in Act Two, with three pass-through set pieces inspired by the city\u2019s iconic glass-topped shopping arcades. Abundant supplementary color was provided by Laing\u2019s diverse array of high-style costumes.
The stagecraft was unusual and even a little startling at times, and contributed to the production\u2019s sometimes contemporary feel. The piece was performed with no front or side curtains and with the overhead lights visible nearly the entire time. At times, Jones made use of the full, unmasked vastness of the Lyric stage, as at the beginning of Act Two when a massive adult and children\u2019s chorus bustles spectacularly onto the stage.
Because there was no front curtain, the opera was paused after Act One and the opening set was turned and moved to rear of the stage with no effort to camouflage the stagehands (an effort that was repeated in reverse before Act Four). Clearly, Jones and Laing were not interested in some of the theatrical illusions and protocols traditionally employed.
The cast was uniformly excellent, starting with the four struggling artists: Michael Fabiano (Rodolfo), Zachary Nelson (Marcello), Ricardo Jos\u00e9 Rivera (Schaunard) and Adrian S\u00e2mpetrean (Colline). They evinced an authentic feeling of easy camaraderie and light-hearted conviviality. A particular standout was Nelson, with his flexible, expressive baritone voice.
Nitpickers could point to a couple of rough-edged high notes, but it was hard overall to find fault with Fabiano\u2019s passionate, convincing performance in his Lyric debut. The winner of both the Richard Tucker and Beverly Sills Artist awards, he possesses a pleasing tenor voice and an obvious affinity for Puccini\u2019s brand of vocal writing.
Soprano Danielle de Niese, who made her debut as Musetta earlier this year in London where this co-production began, was as vocally and theatrically compelling as ever. She was a kind of madcap whirlwind, totally buying into Jones\u2019 amped-up approach to Act Two, yet also bringing heart to this essential supporting role.
But the clear star, as should be the case, was Italian soprano Maria Agresta, who was first heard at Lyric last season as Li\u00f9 in \u201cTurandot.\u201d She has made Mim\u00ec a signature role, and it\u2019s not hard to understand why with her clear-voiced subtlety and naturalness.
Both in her body language and her singing, she palpably conveyed the humility and vulnerability of this character, especially as Mim\u00ec huddles in the cold in Act Three and ultimately feels forced to abandon Rodolfo.
Venezuelan conductor Domingo Hindoyan made an impressive Lyric debut in the pit, bringing out the best from the company\u2019s orchestra and vibrantly pacing the action. He was at his best during the Act One duet between the two lovers, as he organically responded to and supported these two singers.
Newcomers to \u201cLa Boh\u00e8me\u201d will get a full sense of this opera\u2019s power and poignancy with this production, and returnees will find elements that are fresh and appealing. Put simply, Lyric has a success on its hands.<\/p>\n

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