Giacomo Puccini’s beautiful opera, La bohème opened Thursday night at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre. A Brisbane Festival highlight, this production is a co-creation between Opera Queensland and West Australian Opera.
An opera in four acts, La bohème first premiered in 1896 at the Teatro Regio in Turin, Italy. Composed by Puccini, the poignant, sometimes mischievous, libretto was written by Guiseppe Giacosa and Luigi Illica.
This famous work has inspired movies and musicals like Moulin Rouge and Rent. Aware that the inherent themes of love, loss, poverty and death are not new, I attended with keen anticipation. I was not disappointed.
From the opening bar to the closing note, the performance was an enchanting operatic, symphonic and theatrical success. Kudos to all of the production and associated teams for bringing this about.
This production was brilliantly driven by the outstanding abilities of gifted youth. The Director is young. So too are the creatives and core cast. Conductor, Umberto Clerici remains eternally youthful.
The performance had the freshness of new vision whilst simultaneously emanating depths of maturity and expertise.
Director, Matt Reuben James Ward, has brought the era forward from the nineteenth century to France in the 1920s. This clever directive has enabled Charles Davis to cut loose with some divine costumes for the stunning Musetta (Nina Korbe).
The Parisian set design which revolved around a compact, windowed structure remained relevant and convincing at every scene change. A versatile construction, it served as bohemian digs, cafe, tavern and backdrop to bustling markets.
Although set in snowy Paris, the atmosphere in the Lyric theatre that evening had a distinctly Italian vibe. Overall, unsurprising as it’s an Italian opera but the performance had a rich ethnic authenticity.
Umberto Clerici, esteemed conductor of Queensland Symphony Orchestra, is Italian. So too is tenor, Valerio Borgioni who played Rudolfo. Elena Perroni (Mimi) has an obviously Italian name.
As Mimi, Perroni was a delight. Her appearance embodied graceful delicacy suggestive of a looming demise. She’s petite but her soprano voice has strength. Soft and controlled when required, she soars with crystalline clarity in the higher ranges.
Towering over her, tenor, Borgioni brought a Romeo-like quality to his role as her lover, Rudolfo. Their voices were distinct yet harmonious in the lovely duets. Borgioni has a fabulous smile.
In contrast, Nina Korbe’s Musetta burned with feminine independence and defiance and determination. Nina is a First Nations soprano. Breathtakingly beautiful, as Musette, she was no man’s demure handmaiden.
Her compassion for the declining Mimi clearly emerged as the performance drew to its heart wrenching close. Despite not aligning herself with the poverty of their lifestyle, it’s obvious Musetta would find a struggling bohemian attractive. At least for a while.
Marcello (Samuel Dundas), Colline (Luke Stoker) and Schaunard (Jeremy Kleeman) provided steady, operatic companionship to Rudolfo. In laughter and in loss, they were present, steadfast and strongly performed their roles as the sad tribulations of the plot unfolded.
A stellar performance and an outstanding production. I highly recommend attending La bohème in Brisbane.
La bohème
Lyric Theatre – QPAC, Cultural Precinct, South Brisbane
Performance: Thursday 4 September 2025
Season continues to 13 September 2025
Information and Bookings: www.oq.com.au
Images: Opera Queensland presents La bohème – photos by Steph Do Rozario and Murray Summerville
Review: Michele-Rose Boylan