La Boheme

A modernistic production rather unfaithful to Puccini's spirit
If you have seen hundreds of La Boheme and now want to experiment with a modernistic production where the director takes too many artistic liberties of questionable intelligence then buy this DVD. But if you know the details of the score and the libretto and you have already educated your taste by listening to glorious productions of this opera (Pavarotti & Cotrubas; Alagna & Gheorghiu, etc), then I think you will find this DVD an ill-advised investment of time and money.

To my mind, a production should be recorded only if it adds something memorable, while also respecting the composer's intentions. I am struggling to find things worth remembering about this production. In theory, Anna's voice type should be suited for Mimi, but her dramatic and vocal characterisation of Mimi is unremarkable and somewhat bland. Her pronunciation and phrasing are particularly frustrating. Piotr is a fair choice for Rodolfo, but again, what is memorable about his Rodolfo?

I fear...

Worst of the Eurotrash
Anna Netrebko, Piotr Beczala, and Nino Machaidze, are at the top of my list as singers/performers. One would hardly expect that these three superstars would congregate to put out such a shoddy product. The best the promoters can say about this DVD is "This Boheme was the talk of the 2012 Salzburg Festival...." I can imagine what the talk was about. So much for Salzburg! I borrowed this DVD, and I am not buying it. Stick with La Scala, the Met, or the ROH. The odds are far better.

The Boheme to get is the one from La Scala, starring Cristina Gallardo-Domas, Marcelo Alvarez, and Franco Zeffirelli. It is excellent in every aspect: vocally, artistically, and technically. Cristina is fabulous. Thanks to Amazon, the price is unbeatable. One cannot afford not to buy it.

A Modern-Day "La Boheme"
Normally I do not like operas "modernized" (this one to 2012), but this version works. There are some problems in this updating -- for instance, in the subtitles. The great Russian soprano Anna Netrebko does not have "blue eyes" and Nino Machaidze, who plays Musetta, does not have "dark eyes". Why not switch these colors so they match the actual eye colors? Plenty of other changes have been made, both in the subtitles and in the staging of the opera. Nitpicks aside, this is a wonderful treat; Netrebko and Polish tenor Piotr Beczala are excellent, the rest of the cast very good, the second act is very colorful, and the ending when Mimi dies is heart-rending. I have three other versions of this opera, including the outstanding cinematic production of 2008 starring Netrebko and Villazon. This one is a worthy addition.

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