Theater Reviews

Oct 29, 1999 - Touching "Boheme" Has Youth, Vitality and Beautiful Singing

By Jack Neal

"La Boheme" is about the exuberances, passions, torments and sadnesses of youth. Giacomo Puccini's realistic capturing of the excesses of the gorgeously young in melody and mood have made his musicalized story of impoverished Parisian artists the most popular opera ever written.

Audiences can't get enough of Puccini's lush melodies, nor pass up an opportunity for a good cry. "La Boheme," effervescent as much of it is, is also gut-wrenchingly touching. One of the opera's strongest points is the way it lends itself to ensemble, rather than star casting. Brand names aren't needed, when there's so much outstanding young talent from which to choose.

Nevada Opera's presentation of "La Boheme," which opened the company's 32nd season Thursday night (10/28/99) at the Pioneer Center for the Performing Arts, plays to the opera's youth motif by featuring six attractive young artists who cut loose for impassioned performances that are never less than memorable. Former Nevada Opera General Director Frank Kistler hired the cast. He shrewdly went for good-looking young actors with glorious voices who could wring the pathos from every ounce of Puccini's splendid score. What fun these Bohemian hell raisers are and how affectingly they sing.

And how exciting it is that the story of Rodolfo's and Mimi's love for one another, and Marcello's and Musetta's passions for one another is being portrayed with the energy and beautiful singing only vibrant young talents can manage - and it's happeningright here in Reno.

Up and coming Puccini tenor extraordinaire Theodore Green ignites the role of Rodolfo with wave after wave of liquid phrasing drenched in the richest of tenor sounds and he turns in a winning characterization of "Boheme's" love-anguished poet to boot. His singing of "Che gelida manina" is thrilling. Soprano Guiping Deng, also a superb Puccini artist, sings the doomed Mimi from the heart, with warmth and feeling. Miss Deng's "Mi chiamano Mimi" is radiant. Her finest moments come in Act III, where the sincerity of Mimi's grief allows none of the sentimentality that often diminishes the poignancy of this scene.

With a consummate singing and acting technique firmly in tow, Marnie Breckenridge's Musetta is a sensuously sexy seductress, a kind of operatic Marliyn Monroe. Her soaring soprano rings true for a vivacious "Waltz Song" that's as suggestive and fun as it's beautifully sung. Tall and handsome, his resonant, textured voice a continual source of pleasure, Scott Cheffer is a thoroughly believable Marcello and the perfect foil for Musetta's dramatic and vocal antics.

Aram Barsamian as Schaunard, and Scott Sikon as Colline are also exceptional singing actors and bring an unforced charm to the opera's Bohemian atmosphere and distinction to their vocal contributions.

"Cantabile, cantabile, cantabile," as Toscanini used to demand. Under the musical direction of Michael Goodwin, this "Boheme" sings from beginning to end. Goodwin's sensitivity and musicality provides many moments of true insipration. Equally as important as "Boheme's" singing, the orchestra plays Puccini's ravishing music with an immediacy that adroitly underscores the production's strong theatrical bent. The Nevada Opera Chorus under the direction of Robin Stamper and the Nevada Opera Children's Chorus under the direction of Kris Engstrom both make strong showings in singing and acting.

Nelson Sheeley's stage direction effectively captures the camaraderie of the Bohemians and the essence of scenes big, small, happy and traumatic. Don Smith's lighting designs did what they could to cover the serviceable but not-overly-attractive sets rented from Delaware Opera. His lighting of the opera's closing moments was simple and very affecting. "La Boheme" is presented in modern dress, although with today's eclectic styles, it's hard to know what's modern and what's not. Nontheless, the update works.

Visually, Nevada Opera's "La Boheme" isn't bad. Dramatically, its young cast is hard to beat. Musically, the company's "La Boheme" is a triumph.

Nevada Opera's "La Boheme" plays the last performance of its current run Saturday night (10/30/99) at 8 p.m. at the Pioneer Center for the Performing Arts, 100 South Virginia Street, Reno. For information call 775-786-4046. For tickets call 775-686-6600.