reviewvancouver: Vancouver Opera - La Boheme, Elizabeth Paterson

How suitable that in April, National Poetry Month, Vancouver Opera should offer an opera which is as much about poetry as it is about love.

But how romantic La Bohème is. Set in the Latin Quarter, the romanticised artist hang-out of 19th century Paris, the opera depicts a group of young men – Rudolfo (Matthew White), a writer of prose (for money) and poetry (for dreams) and his best friend Marcello (Gregory Dahl), a painter, their friends Schaunard (Justin Welch) a musician and Colline (Alex Holliday), a philosopher – building their careers on not much money, friendship and laughter.

And love when they can get it. Interwoven with the vignettes of the artistic life are the love stories.

As the opera opens Rodolfo and Marcello are freezing in their airy garret, and joking as they throw the pages of Rodolfo’s latest rejected masterwork on the fire. Schaunard arrives with cash and wine and all four decide to go out to eat. It is Christmas Eve after all. Interrupted by Benoit, the landlord, come to collect the rent, they hastily hide all signs of affluence and proceed to first ply him with the wine and then blackmail him when he admits to having a mistress. Benoit’s discourse on women is as superficially warm as Rodolfo’s paper fire, and sung with verve by Thomas Goetz. Later Goetz plays Alcindoro, Musetta’s rich sugar daddy of comparable character, an apt double casting.

The rest leave for the Café Momus while Rodolfo stays behind to finish his article. A knock at the door brings a neighbour asking for a light for her candle as one might today beg a cup of sugar. It is a case of love at first sight.

Under Brenna Conner’s direction this Mimi is as shy as the text describes but she also allows her a light flirtatiousness which Jonelle Sills carries off with great charm in a finely tuned and gorgeously sung performance. The loneliness in her first aria “Sì. Mi chiamano Mimì”, (They call me Mimi) is palpable and so is the warmth and fun she finds with her new friends at the café. Rodolfo and Mimi both grow with the ups and downs of their love story. Mimi finds strength to fight for herself despite her worsening illness (TB) and Rodolfo develops from lightweight to devastated young man

Gregory Dahl’s Marcello is generous, expansive and tortured by love for Musetta his on-again off-again lover. Lara Ciekiewicz’s Musetta is over-the-top, tough and spiky, with a heart of gold. These two make admirable foils for Mimi and Rodolfo.

Justin Welch and Alex Holliday more than held their own. Colline’s farewell to his overcoat was a little masterpiece.

In the warm camaraderie among the men, Brenna Corner built a firm foundation without which the story could not take off. Her handling of the busy Christmas market scene never let the bustle overwhelm the plot. Adding ribbon dancers was a perfect touch. All was enhanced by Sophie Tang’s lighting design.

And what a pleasure to have Jonathan Darlington back in the pit. As skilled as the performers are, as capable as the orchestra is, he sprinkled magic on every note.

A personal quibble. The program follows the normal English-language practice of describing Mimi as a ‘seamstress’. In fact, as she tells Rodolfo, she embroiders on silk. This means that she was a highly skilled professional working in a luxury trade, and at least the equal of the other artists.