Puccini - La Boheme [The Metropolitan Opera HD Live 2008] [DVD]

Any reasonably decent performance of Bohéme will be so emotionally overwhelming that it will be very hard to be objective about it. But what might work well in the theatre may not seem to be quite so successful after repeated viewings on DVD. So it is perhaps right to pick up on one or two shortcomings, which are relatively minor when compared with the otherwise outstanding merits of this production.

Firstly the good things, though. This is a typical "Met" production in the best sense: good sets, costumes, principals, and chorus (and there are plenty of them). Now and then the conductor takes things a tiny bit too slowly for my taste but that doesn't detract much from what is a very fine performance in the pit. The acting is good, especially given that what might work well in the theatre doesn't always work too well on the small screen. It would be interesting to know whether anything was said to the cast about the fact that this performance was being recorded. Ludovic Tézier (Marcello) and Angela Gheorghiu (Mimi) in particular make quite a few tiny gestures which I would have thought wouldn't be perceptible to the audience but are very effective when seen in close-up. In fact Gheorghiu is the star of the show; she looks right, acts right and sings beautifully. That is not to take anything away from the other members of the cast, though, who are excellent in every way. It is pleasing to see Paul Plishka, a long-time stalwart of the Met, doubling the small parts of Benoit and Alcindoro. It is not his fault that he is not wholly successful in the second role, of which more anon.

So what's wrong with this production? As I have said, not much. To start with Alcindoro, though; I feel that he is let down by the camera work and/or the production itself. Although his is a small part a lot of fun can be drawn from the character. In other productions which I have seen he is physically bullied by Musetta and the Bohemians and, at the end of the Act, is presented with everyone's bill. Such opportunities are missed here. He isn't helped here, either, by the fact that he seems to get a bit lost amongst the crowd; mainly due, I think, to poor camera work.

Other reviewers have commented on the fact that at the end of each scene we are taken behind the curtain to see what is going on. Whilst this is undoubtedly interesting it is questionable as to how many times one would want to see this. Some might find it irritating, others not so. And after all you can simply skip through these sections if you don't want to see them yet again.

Having criticised the camera work I am sorry to say that the sound recording isn't perfect either. There are one or two occasions when the singer's voice changes suddenly when he or she turns round, or moves across the stage. This is presumably caused by the voice being picked up by different microphones but I would have thought it was something which ought to have been sorted out post-production.

All of the above detracts a little from what could otherwise be a virtually perfect performance. But then, perfection is something which can only be strived for but never actually achieved (although the Dessay/Florez account of "La Fille du Régiment" comes pretty close - but I digress). I find it hard to imagine that in the real world this performance of Bohéme on DVD will be bettered.

This is a "five star minus" performance and is heartily recommended.

I assumed that Angela Gheorghiu singing the role of Mimi would be enough to carry the production through, no matter who took the role of Rudolfo... in this case Ramon Vargas. I underestimated! Between them they, and not forgetting the rest of the cast, give a heart-rending performance that leaves the viewer as emotionally exhausted as they all obviously are at the end of the final act. Bravo! Magnificent! Puccini would approve.

I have read the many reviews for all three of the Boheme performances that I currently own. What is quite clear is that each of them receives enthusiastic support by overwhelming numbers who see each as the definitive version! There are also those who totally dislike each version. There are also minor reservations voiced about each version by a handful of reviewers. So where does this leave the prospective new purchaser?

Firstly it is possible to suggest that there are at least 3 good versions available, all of which are likely to give great satisfaction to a great number of people. This is perhaps because this opera is such a fine creation that it enables the participants to rise to their best. So if there is a world class team engaged it is likely that you will get a world class result with little risk of failure.

Rather than give a detailed review of each version therefore I will attempt a general summary of the options based on these 3 productions. They are the two Zeffirelli productions at The Met and at La Scala. There is also the Copley production by way of comparison at the Royal Opera.
There are some key considerations in my opinion. Firstly the group of four men must work well as a team in addition to individual merits. Rodolfo, Mimi, Musetta and Marcello must also communicate strongly to each other in the same way. The end must be genuinely draining.

The Met performance delivers on all counts. Gheorghiu and Vargas both deliver a believable relationship with each other. All 4 men relate well to each other. Tezier and Arteta as Musetta also have a believable relationship and the whole production benefits from the extravagant, but always appropriate Zeffirelli concept ranging through an excellent garret, a spectacular Act 2 crowd scene, and the desolation of Acts 3 and 4. I personally feel that there are preferable Musettas and the small but important roles of Benoit and Alcindoro to those on offer here. The recording is of a good visual and sonic standard but it is a shame that it has not been produced as a Blu-ray (yet). This is a very slick and professional rendition.

The competing Zeffirelli performance from La Scala is very fine too. This musters a particularly vibrant team of men who relate especially well together. The Benoit and Alcindoro roles are, to my mind, more effective. The Musetta of Hei-Kyung Hong is simply outstanding and is a far more effective flirty portrayal which also shows considerable humanity and depth of understanding in the last scene. The role of Mimi is very different to that of Gheorghiu as Mimi here is of a far more `ordinary' appearance and without Gheorghiu's innate glamour and sheer `star' quality which always radiates through. Gallardo-Domas portrays much more the ordinary attractions of an ordinary and rather vulnerable woman. In this she is well matched by Alvarez. These two skilled singers relate well in these ways and their shared tragedy hits home at that level. For me, I find this even more moving than The Met performance for all that's star quality. On the downside however, I feel that the staging in Act 2 comes over as rather more cramped and thus relatively static at La Scala and the conducting and orchestral response is just a notch less crisp. A direct comparison between the starts of Acts 1 & 2 in both performances will show this - but the differences are quite small and do not outweigh the many other virtues.

That leaves the Copley production at the Royal Opera. I find my responses to this to be more uneven. The four men have the great advantage of being younger and not so well fed! The concept that these four men are living in abject poverty always stretches credulity when they are clearly considerably overweight as in most performances including the two Zefferelli options. However, the downside here is that Rodolfo in particular seems relatively immature and is unable to drag up the reserves of grief at the end. Alvarez does best at this followed at a short distance by Vargas. This Musetta similarly seems to lack the same sort of depth. One is aware that she is acting rather than being the part. Hei-Kyung is in a different league to this - and is also more seductively aware. The other men all do well but the star of this production for me is the Mimi of Gerzmava who has the youth, the voice and the concept of ultimate doomed fragility. The orchestral playing is possibly the best here as a result of fine conducting by Nelsons.

In conclusion then I would rate all three as fine productions in their ways with the La Scala / Zefferelli as first choice closely followed by the Met / Zeffirelli in second and with the Royal Opera production in third place. In the end though, it is all a matter of taste and personal preference as detailed reading of the many reviews will clearly reveal. Happy viewing and listening whichever you choose!