The world’s most popular opera returns with an exciting young cast in Franco Zeffirelli’s legendary production. Poverty-stricken poet Rodolfo and his artist friends eke out a precarious existence in bohemian Paris, alternately practising their art, laughing, quarrelling, dodging the landlord, and living it up in their local cafe. When Rodolfo meets the delicate Mimì, the…
I have to start this review with a confession: the more you go to Unexpected Opera shows, the harder it gets to remain objective about them. As I’ve now seen more than one, I’m afraid my judgement on these is probably compromised already. This very seldom happens to a critic – opera critics most of…
Puccini’s great crowd-pleaser La bohème is more than familiar to audiences all over the world, but this tale of poverty-stricken love and death remains a compelling watch, whether you are seeing it for the first time (and it’s always a good first opera for newcomers) or the twentieth. James Conway’s production for English Touring Opera may…