ENO @ Coliseum, London, 28 January, 2, 4, 10, 12, 17 February 2000
Puccini's tale of the Bohemian life has been updated to
the 1950s and one suspects that this is more in the
interests of saving costume budgets than giving a new
perspective.
The lives and loves of Rodolfo, Mimi,
Marcello and Musetta certainly seem just as credible in
the new setting, but nothing is added by the change, and
the shoe-string aspect is very evident in the single set
that is pressed into use for every scene.
For those who
aren't already familiar with the opera it must be
confusing. Having closed Act II on Christmas Eve at the
café Momus, with Musetta in her fetching black basque,
what do we see at the opening of Act III - which occurs
a month later, in a tavern near the city gate, at dawn -
but an apparently identical scene, and Musetta still in
her basque. If money is really that tight, perhaps ENO
should have revived the excellent production they
already had.
There is one reason to see this version: Mary Plazas as
Mimi is touching, believable (she even has tiny hands)
and sings like an angel.
After winning the Kathleen
Ferrier prize in 1991 she has rapidly expanded her
horizons and is certainly one to watch. Her Rodolfo is
John Hudson - a pleasant voice but a little lacking in
strength.
Ashley Holland and Elizabeth Woollett are
good sparring partners as Marcello and Musetta, though
the latter's ability to create a good scene outshone her
voice. The orchestra was in fine form under Mark
Shanahan, but altogether a slightly lacklustre evening.
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