Charming, youthful and tragic love at Christmas: great cast for La Bohème at the Teatro Real.

Madrid, December 20, 2021.

I like going to opera when Christmas is close. Madrid is decorated with rich illumination everywhere, and people make their last purchases before the night of December 24. Both the Isabel II square and the Teatro Real lobby have a splendid Christmas tree, so Teatro Real is impregnated with that spirit. However, the Covid omicron-variant is like a terrible shadow menacing all this celebrations, with cases increasing again not only in Spain but in all Europe. 

Like Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker for ballet, it is said that Puccini's La Bohème is the definitive operatic Christmas classic. In 2017, coproducing with London's ROH, Teatro Real premiered a new production by Richard Jones, also for those Christmas,  featuring Stephen Costello and Anita Hartig. Like in London, that production replaced the lovely old Madrid production by Giancarlo Del Monaco. A hard responsibility. Sadly, a pneumonia prevented me to attend one of those performances despite having a ticket (for the January 4, 2018 performance), so I had to see the Facebook streaming. Now, Teatro Real reprises this production for saying goodbye to a 2021 full of great performances (Siegfried, Peter Grimes, Tosca or La Cenerentola).  And now it's my opportunity!

Jones's staging is a kind of classical and at the same time functional staging. In an attempt to make it a more human and less romantic, the results not always are the ones aimed, specially when the technical staff appears moving the sets during the pauses between Acts 1 and 2, and 3 and 4, something not very welcomed by the audience. Few minutes before the show begins, snow starts to fall on stage, while lights are still on. The first act is a small wooden mansard, whose little scenic plattform is shown almost on the edge of the stage. Act Two shows first three, arch-domed, moving sets recreating a shopping gallery, which they seem more appealing on TV that in the theatre, as they are sort of simple. One can miss the streets of Paris recreated in the Del Monaco staging. However, one of the first highlights was the Café Momus recreation, a humble but elegant salon, in which the acting was funny. The final chorus was spectacular, with the band parading in the snowy floor, recreating a Parisian avenue., suggested by the lampposts. The height of this staging was definitely Act 3, in which snow falls on stage, and a big house raises in the middle of stage, but which moves to a corner at the end, to give way the lovers in their ethereal duet. Jones' vision seems to remark the naughty side of the characters, since they are very young: For example, during her famous Waltz, Musetta takes off her underwear from her red dress. Or in Act 4, the four bohemians while singing their quartet, draw obscene female nudes. On the other hand, it is delighting to see Mimì and Rodolfo lovey-dovey all time. Mimi Jordan Sherin's lighting is effective, invitating the spectator to take part in the work, like in Act 2 with big illuminations or the dim golden or light green lighting during stage changes. Stewart Laing's costumes are simple, but conservative. Very colourful in Act 2, or to remark Mimì's final green dress, as if she wanted to face up death. 

Puccini's music is so powerful, suggestive, appealing to the loving, youthful, passionate heart of the listener. Act 3 is the gutting moment, when the main couple resolves to separate, but not unly spring, when they convey that this was the first, and also the last time they will meet love in their lives. Nicola Luisotti conducts with his usual vigor the Teatro Real Orchestra , with a majestic sound, obtaining a rich rendition from the musicians, specially harps, percussion ( specially celesta) or the breathtaking basses at the opening bars. The instruments contributed to raise the impact found on Puccini's score. Also strings sounded beautifully. Only in some moments the orchestra seemed a bit lost, but in general they made sound through their powerful volumes and tones, the richness of Puccini's orchestration. The Teatro Real Chorus was at its usual great level, singing vigorously in Act 2, specially in the finale and in their dark, nocturne piece in Act 3. During Act 2 choreography their acting was very well worked, and they were very funny.

Michael Fabiano sang Rodolfo. He premiered this production in London in 2017. One of his signature roles, the American tenor was confirmed, again, as one of the first options for Puccini. During the first act, nevertheless, he seemed a bit reserved, and he started to sing this way the first part of Che Gelida Manina. However, from the splendorous line "Talor dal mio forziere", Fabiano started to sing with his usual vigor, sounding inspirated. It was from Act 3 when he definitely conquered the listener, singing vigorously, passionately, very tormented in "Mimì è una Civetta" and using beautiful pianissimi notes in the finale, in lines like "rimavo con carezze" or "alla stagion del fior". In Act 4, it was  heartbreaking to see him grieving Mimì.

Ermonela Jaho is one of the favourite divas of the Madrid audience. And last night she conquered them again, being the most applauded and ovationed singer. Her Mimì is frail, but intense at the same time. As intense and expressive are her performances, her beautiful singing helps to portray the character, despite some difficulty in some high notes. But what delightful renditions of her arias! In Sì, mi chiamano Mimì, she gives pianissimi and exquisite singing, and also in Donde lieta uscì, where she gave an enrapturing pianissimo in Addio, senza rancor, to finish a moving, tear-eying rendition. She maintained the level in Sono Andati, conveying very well Mimì's agony. 

Ruth Iniesta as Musetta gave an also delightful singing, and as actress she conveyed the naughtiness of her role in Acts 2 and 3, and the more mature, worried, caring side of it in Act 4. She sang with his usually cute tone during her famous Quando m'en vo, singing it nicely the extreme difficulty of this aria's tesitura, specially in some of her high notes.

Lucas Meachem was a well sung Marcello, with a sounding and nice voice. Joan Martín-Royo as a funny Schaunard and Viçenc Esteve as Benoît were well sung and acted as well. One of the surprises was Krzysztof Baczyk as Colline, an elegant and at the same time deep, overwhelming bass voice, who sang with novelness, sadness his aria Vechia zimarra, senti.

The audience, who was a bit cold, with brief applauses during first act, at the end seem to approve the show, with more enthusiastic applauses, and even ovations, specially for Jaho. Maybe not a referential Bohème (something almost impossible to find today), but a cast of very high level, in my opinion it has nothing to envy to the current Bohème at the Met. It was an intelligent decision for the Teatro Real to get this cast for this opera so associated with the Christmas, to make the audience to evade for 2 hours from the uncertainties derived from the Omicron variant. That is the magic of  this Puccini's masterpiece.

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