25th September 2022 at Wales Millennium Center
Words by Billy Edwards
I was at first nervous about seeing La┬áBoheme┬ábecause of┬áitÔÇÖs very nature as an opera. As I had never seen one before,┬áyou could forgive me for feeling nervous about it.
The public perception of the form signifies a certain stuffiness, held only in esteem by the oldest generations and ÔÇô daresay ÔÇôconsisting of long, boring productions with overly melodramatic singing. However, I was certainly inquisitive and eager to be proved wrong, and so looked forward to seeing La┬áBoheme immensely.┬á
A story concerning a doomed relationship between a bohemian and his lonely seamstress neighbour, I was enthused that the opera was relatively agreed upon as one of the best to see ÔÇô itÔÇÖs a standard performed constantly around the world, formed by Giacomo Puccini at the end of the 19th century, a composer viewed as one of the greatest figures in Italian operaÔÇô so for the first dip into the pool, it seemed very suitable. Its worldwide ubiquity was reflected in the differing backgrounds of the performers, such as Argentina, Korea, and Portugal, aside from a strong Welsh cast.
The story begins through introducing the main character Rodolfo, played by Luis Gomes, and his friends: all anticipating a grim Christmas due to their poverty until he falls in love with Mimi, a slightly ditzy neighbour wowed by his passion for poetry, expertly performed by Anush Hovhannisyan. 
The opera was surprisingly simple to follow ÔÇô it captured their relationship as it blossomed, receded, and changed, in environments such as bustling Christmas streets and the tollgate into Paris.┬áIt┬áwas sung in the original Italian with helpful English and Welsh subtitles on small screens above the stage so you could easily follow the narrative.┬áThe Donald Gordon Theatre was an especially impactful┬ásetting; it was huge and ornamental, with a boxed stage perfect for whisking┬áits┬áaudience away to a cold Christmas Eve.┬á
The staging too was very impressive ÔÇô┬áAct 2 opened with the revelry at the┬áCaf├® Momus, busy with street hawkers depicting a pretty Christmas aesthetic,┬áand they┬áhad inexplicably created a snowing climate on stage┬áthrough┬áa method I could not┬áfigure.┬áThe characters too were┬ájust asfully-formed┬áand remarkably expressive┬áas any major Broadway or West End production.
I particularly enjoyed Marcello, played by┬áRodion┬áPogossov, a suave┬áwise-crackerwho charmingly becomes a simpering┬ápursuer when coming across his former lover┬áMusetta.┬áHis other two friends,┬áColline┬áand┬áSchaunard,┬áalso┬áhave┬áa┬áremarkable sense of stage presence.┬áThe entire castÔÇÖs┬ásinging will prove a surely impressive feat by itself, sung in perfect, fluent Italian for a couple of hours without a duff note.
Narratively, it wasnÔÇÖt uncharted waters at all; I┬ápersonally┬áwas┬áwell-reminded of┬ámany of the forms of drama I was familiar with, the┬áclosest comparison in my (albeit-limited) experience being to Shakespeare.┬áThere is much tragedy in how Rodolfo settles on the thought that┬áhis┬árelationship┬áwith Mimi┬áis┬áinflicting pain on┬áher, as their┬áillness can only grow worse in the poverty they share.
┬áI felt tremendously sorry for the central characters, struck by a universal story of the emotional suffering caused by poverty.┬áI would thoroughly recommend seeing a production put on by the Welsh National Opera – La┬áBoheme┬áwas immensely enjoyable and┬áa very worthwhile change from the typical musicals┬ámost audiences are accustomed to, with the considerable bonus of the show taking place in a beautiful venue.
I was intrigued by the opportunity to watch an opera and I came away very impressed and eager to see more.
La Boheme is currently touring for the Autumn season, with venues including Venue Cymru, Llandudno; Theatre Royal Plymouth; Birmingham Hippodrome; Mayflower Theatre, Southampton; and New Theatre Oxford.
