Gale Edwards’ savvy Bohème shows young love failing to survive Hitler’s springtime.

Joan Sutherland Theatre, Sydney Opera House
January 4, 2015

Puccini’s La Bohème was very much his breakthrough work back in 1894 and it’s held a place in the rep of every opera company on the planet now for well over a hundred years. A tale of ‘starving’ artists struggling to maintain their ‘garret’ existence in the face of bourgeois conservatism and grasping landlords, it has spawned productions set anywhere and anyway from 1830s Paris to 2012 Vienna, taking in 1990 New York in the form of Broadway musical Rent along the way. Whether any director can now come up with anything new to say is debatable – and anyway, do audiences really care? Puccini’s blend of heady tunefulness, romantic sweep and youthful idealism is what is wanted, and frankly it takes a pretty bad production to prevent all of that coming across in spades.

As it turns out, Gail Edwards’ relocation of the action to 1930s Berlin is one of its smarter incarnations. A Weimar update usually involves a hefty political element, and that Edwards can’t quite find such an angle for the work with which she has been presented is the only shortcoming in an evening of unalloyed pleasures. The fact that Opera Australia has trotted it out in January for several years in a row in an obvious attempt to capture the Sydney summer tourist dollar can be forgiven as this directorially savvy show is still coming up fresh as a daisy – especially when the cast is as classy as the current one.

Brian Thomson’s impressively architectural sets offer Edwards’ a veritable playground – the Café Momus with its decadent cross dressers, posturing prostitutes and lurking proto-Nazis is a dazzling delight – and, a few extraneous revolves apart, it all moves like a dream when bathed in John Rayment’s atmospheric lighting. Julie Lynch’s scrupulously researched costumes are the icing on the cake, making it all look a million deutschmarks. Edwards’ ‘take’ is smart, clear and admirably staged. Her handling of the excellent OA chorus is textbook and it’s packed with memorable imagery – how beautiful is the visual of Marcello and Musetta making love in the snow? On top of that, behind the obvious love stories and sizzling crowd scenes there are many subtle points stylishly realised – male directors take note: the larger lady can make an appealing sexual object so there’s really no need to hide them at the back…

Edwards’ Rodolfo this time around is Mexican tenor Diego Torre who is fast becoming an OA staple and it’s easy to see why. His strong, thrilling voice is reminiscent of del Monaco at his stentorian best with secure top notes delivered with considerable style. The instrument occasionally hardens under pressure, but he finds plenty of room to vary the volume and lighten the tone, plus he’s aware of the text and not afraid to throttle back when required (the ascent to the second “chi son” in Che gelida manina is ravishing). He’s also an effective actor, using his physical solidity to great advantage. His mighty final sobs over Puccini’s orchestral playout were particularly affecting.

Up-and-coming Latvian soprano Maija Kovalevska is his Mimì and one of Lydon Terracini’s crop of international rising stars designed to tempt the jaded Puccinian palate. Her warm, creamy voice is complemented by an excellent sense of line and control of dynamic light and shade. There’s a useful touch of steel at the top too when she chooses to deploy it. In Edwards’ conception, Mimì becomes perhaps the most interesting character on the stage – her journey from (ambiguously) ‘naïve’ seamstress to fallen woman on her uppers is fascinatingly charted. Kovalevska is a constantly moving presence and her vocal partnership with Torre is spot on making O soave fanciulla a genuine highlight.

A Bohème, however, is much more than a leading lady and gent, and the rest of OA’s current troupe of bohos is homegrown and without a weak link. Andrew Jones’ powerful-voiced Marcello leads the mens’ team, offering a sympathetic portrayal of poet’s mate and frustrated lover. The voice rises and falls effortlessly, and his final duet with Torre is a standout aided and abetted by a lovely violin solo. His Musetta is Lorina Gore, singing with radiant tone and excellent diction. She makes the character into a genuinely intriguing egomaniac, and her various reconciliations with Marcello are less annoying than can sometimes be the case.

Adding depth to the ensemble are David Parkin’s appealingly shaggy-haired Colline and Shane Lowrencev’s preening queen of a Schaunard. Parkin’s velvety bass and generous personality is particularly attractive throughout and Lowrencev is vocally on the money, though at times he could play front a little less. Graeme Macfarlane makes much of the opportunity offered by the hapless landlord, Benoit.

Andrea Molino paces Puccini’s score with deceptive ease in a reading that cannot be faulted and lovingly brings out the numerous colours and effects. His balancing of the Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra (on fine form here) is particularly noticeable, overcoming many of the shortcomings of the opera house acoustic.

A revival that deserves to be seen, then, and a good start to OA’s play safe 2015 season. Anyone in need of a heartfelt dollop of verismo romance put across with passion and verve needn’t hesitate.

La Bohème is at the Sydney Opera House until January 16.