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La Boheme
By Michael Van Duzer
For its holiday offering, Los Angeles Opera chose to revive Puccini's sturdy tale of first love, La Boheme. The production, originally directed by Herbert Ross in 1993, updates the time period of the opera about fifty years to little dramatic effect. Visually, however, the updating allows for Lautrec-inspired colors, the appearance of an early motor car, and a Paris horizon featuring an unfinished Eiffel Tower.
Knowing that Puccini's bohemians remain audience-pleasers whether or not stars are involved, the production was cast with a combination of resident artists and emerging talents from the operatic world. Because Boheme is very much a story of young people, the choice to cast lesser-known and more age appropriate singers can often enliven a production. Here, it provided mixed results. Aquiles Machado, in his company debut, was an eager and appealing Rodolfo through the first half of the opera but dramatically short-changed the tragedy of the second half. Vocally he was solid, if a bit forced. As his Mimi, Leontina Vaduva caressed the vocal line with gusto and requisite passion but without ever convincing anyone that she was mortally ill. This left most of the scene stealing in the able hands of the secondary lovers, Marcello and Musetta. Earl Patriarco, another company debut, sings Marcello with an authoritative baritone that fills the house and manages to stand up to Inva Mula's formidable Musetta. Mula, the only holdover from the previous production proves again what fine singer and gifted actress she can be. In smaller roles, Malcolm MacKenzie was a good humored Schaunard, Eric Owens a disappointingly small-voiced Colline and Jamie Offenbach eschewed easy caricature for real people in his dual portrayals of Benoit and Alcindoro.
The directorial duties for this revival have been assumed by Christopher Harlan who makes a few changes (a pre-entrance cross for Mimi is now eliminated) but, on the whole, contributes a paint by numbers interpretation of the plot. William Venice led the orchestra with confidence and great care for the singers.
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