Photo Credit: Karen Almond When you think of friends in opera, who do you think of? Perhaps your mind goes to the happiness shared between sisters in “Cosi Fan Tutte.” Or, more seriously, you think of the squabbles inherent in Johann Strauss’ “Die Fledermaus.” Whatever it may be, you don’t have to look far to find more than meets the {…}
(Photo: Opera Holland Park 2023 © Craig Fuller) Part of “La bohème’s” appeal is surely in its cinematic quality. Puccini’s score does so much meticulous work that directors sometimes feel that they have little to do other than show the singers to the stage – and ensure they take the right cues from the orchestra. There are sudden close-ups and {…}
(Mise en scène Christophe Gayral, Décors Christophe Ouvrard, Costume Tiziano Musetti) On July 14, the Puccini Festival opened with a new production of “La Bohème” directed by Christophe Gayral. The production updated the opera to 1968 during the student protests in France. It was a concept that was presented at the festival in November of 2022 and one that was {…}
(Credit: ©MarcoBorrelli) For conductor Vincenzo Milletarì, it’s all about Puccini at the moment. In April, he conducted “La Bohème” at the Göteborg Opera and this summer he will take on “Tosca” at the Den Jyske Opera in Aarhus. Known for his work on Italian repertoire and as one of the rising stars of his generation, Milletarì spoke to OperaWire about {…}
(Credit: Vincent Pontet) Making “La Bohème” in Paris is a strenuous task. After Claus Guth’s unpopular sideral production, it became evident that the City of Light’s operagoers are not eager to see overly conceptual approaches to Puccini’s opera. However, no ambitious stage director will merely imitate one of the many Zeffirelli productions. This is why Theatre des Champs-Elysées brought out {…}
In a celebration of its 25th anniversary, The New National Theatre – Tokyo (NNTT) will conclude with Puccini’s “La Bohème,” running from June 28 to July 8, 2023. Alessandra Marianelli and Stephen Costello will take the stage as Mimì and Rodolfo, respectively, in a production directed by Aguni Jun and conducted by NNTT Artistic Director Ono Kazushi. Additionally, making her {…}
(Photo Credit: @Guergana Damianova – OnP) When Claus Guth’s spatial version of “La Bohème” opened in 2017, the Opéra Bastille shook with all the insults it received. Puccini’s opera is often understood as an artefact, and productions will flirt with disaster if they do not depict a snow-globe Paris, crystallized in everyone’s mind. Guth did not abandon a visually beautiful {…}
(Credit: Curtis Brown) On April 21, 2023, the Metropolitan Opera opened Puccini’s “La Bohème,” with libretto by Giuseppe Giacosa and Luigi Illica, based on the novel “Scènes de la Vie de Bohème” by Henri Murger. While “Bohème” has been performed over 1,300 times at the Met, this particular production felt like a new dream come to life. The classic staging {…}
Amore Opera is set to make its return to the stage with Puccini’s “La Bohème” this April. The performances, which are scheduled for April 28 through May 6, 2023 will take place at West Park Presbyterian Church on W 86th Street and Amsterdam Ave. The opera will have three separate casts, accompanied by an orchestra, adult and children’s chorus. The opera {…}
(Credit: Suzanne Vinnik) The Washington National Opera (WNO) will close out its 2022-2023 season with Puccini’s “La Bohème.” The production will run between May 13-27, 2023 at the Kennedy Center Opera House. The famed opera will star Gabriella Reyes, Gihoom Kim, Blake Denson, Kang Wang, Peter Rose, and Jackeline Echols. Also on the cast roster are WNO Fellows Tiffany Chang, {…}
On May 10, 2023, Opera in the Pines will kick off its “Bar Crawl Bohème” tour throughout local venues in Maine. Puccini’s classic opera will be transposed into the modern day, and set within 2019, with an English libretto by Kristine McIntyre and updated by Sable Strout. The cast will be comprised of Maine natives, with sopranos Mary Johnston Letellier {…}