Opera lovers were transported to 1830s Bohemian Paris on Friday night when a new production of La Bohème came to the Hull New Theatre.
I admit to not being an opera buff, even although I have reviewed quite a few, but there was something special about this Ellen Kent Production with the Ukrainian Opera and Ballet Theatre, Kyiv, that had me gripped from curtain up.
Stage settings help enormously to reel us in from the get-go and this was no exception. Though not lavish, the setting was a Parisian garret studio graced with an easel displaying a huge painting of the Red Sea; a single bed, table, chairs etc, plus a painted backdrop of buildings.
A simple scene, but it piqued my interest, even more so with the comic antics of its occupants – poet Rudolfo (Hovhannes Andreasyan) and painter Marcello (Iurie Gisca), who shared the small space.
More fun was in store when the two penniless friends were joined by two acquaintances – philosopher Colline (Valeriu Cojocaru) and Schaunard (Vitalii Cebotari), a musician.
The latter had recently come into some money, so wine was poured and they all made merry.
Not for long, as the owner of the garret, Benoit (Eugeniu Ganea), arrived to extract some rent.
However, after getting him drunk, whipping off his wig and accusing him, a married man, of bad behaviour with young women, he staggered out in a daze – with not a penny’s rent in his pocket.
As the other three head out to enjoy more drinks, Rudolfo stays behind and that’s when he first meets seamstress Mimi (Elena Dee), a neighbour, suffering from TB and asking for a light for her candle.
It’s this couple’s love life, with its ups and downs, happy times, separation, reconciliation, mistrust and great sorrow, that is at the heart of La Bohème.
Jealousy raises its ugly head, especially when Marcello’s ex, the glamorous, flirty singer Musetta (Viktoriia Melnyk), tries to openly win him back after seeing him with Mimi.
The scene where she gets rid of her current beau, wealthy diplomat Alcindoro (a dual role for Eugeniu Ganea) on the pretext of buying her some new shoes, is really amusing; but not for the poor dolt who, on his return, is landed with a huge bill for everyone’s food and drink.
Here I must mention the very colourful stage setting for the above, in which a stilt-walker showed off bunches of balloons while giant, iridescent bubbles filled the air. A huge puppet head topped a beribboned maypole and the crowds were dressed in the most wonderful period costumes.
Excitable youngsters (courtesy of the Skelton Hooper School of Dance and Theatre, in Hull) gathered around toy seller, Parpignol (Ruslan Pacatovici), gleefully grabbing at toys he handed out.
Cute as these youngsters were, the crown for heart-melting has to go to Hugo, Musetta’s dog. A Pets As Therapy (PATS) border terrier, Hugo hails from Hull and is a regular on the wards of local infirmaries and care homes.
He behaved impeccably, unfazed by the onstage shenanigans.
Warming as these scenes were, colder times heralded very life-like “snow” falling steadily from on high.
All the above would have been nothing without Puccini’s wonderful music, played on the night by a super talented orchestra. Conducted by Vasyl Vasylenko, three stand-out arias – Your Tiny Hand Is Frozen, Musetta’s Waltz and They Call Me Mimi – all added to the drama.
Of course, this being an opera, operatic voices excelled, and all were loud and tuneful, cleverly depicting events on stage – be they joyful or sad. It was a privilege to hear such amazing voices.
Sung in Italian, the easy-to-read English surtitles lit up on a screen above the stage really helped clarify the story for those of us who were La Bohème virgins.
Happy ending it ain’t, but it was a very happy ending for us theatregoers who showed our appreciation with lengthy rounds of applause.
And when the aforementioned surtitles revealed the Ukrainian National Anthem would be sung by those on stage, the audience rose as one out of respect for the above performers, many of whom hail from that war-torn country.
Reviewer: Jackie Foottit
Reviewed: 31st January 2025
North West End UK Rating: