ROH La Bohème

[Count Boso]

Streaming tonight at 7pm and available for 14 days (Magic Flute still available).

YouTube https://www.youtube.com/royaloperahouse

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[Count Boso]

Is the picture Michael Fabiano? (Can't find the cast list) I rate him highly.

"The wonderfully romantic duet 'O soave fanciulla' ('Oh lovely girl') from The Royal Opera's La bohème, starring Nicole Car
and Michael Fabiano. Catch Puccini's opera on our Facebook page in full this Friday 3 July from 7pm BST."

[Barbirollians]

A later run with a different cast I see is still on BBC4 player to watch . Better singing I think in this version ( I saw Car and Fabiano when it opened) and I was not overly taken with his voice or acting.

Apart from a ham Schaunard I rather enjoyed this last night but I still find the garret set terrible - these are four impoverished young men living in a small attic but it looks like a trendy Scandi pad - with an absurdly small stove, no beds and just doesn't wash. Act 2 seems to be set in an upmarket 20th century shopping arcade despite the period costumes . Act 3 seems almost indistinguishable from the Copley Boheme .

Can't help but still feel the Richard Jones production is distinctly inferior to the old Copley/Trevelyan Oman version.

[Cockney Sparrow]

...............Can't help but still feel the Richard Jones production is distinctly inferior to the old Copley/Trevelyan Oman version.......

Seconded, but the set was(I'll be corrected if I'm wrong) from a pre refurbishment era, well aged and difficult to assemble? (Must see if there is a DVD of the Copley).

The final straw for me - (I could, as its necessary, abide most of it) in the new production was when Mimi is prostrate, about to expire, and the best they can find to support her head is something like a small wooden box (/pile of books / something). I'm hoping a revival producer will fix that piece of nonsense. (Perhaps its time to complain about it - they do reply (or they did to my Lucia de Lammermoor griping email a few years ago)).

[LHC]

Seconded, but the set was(I'll be corrected if I'm wrong) from a pre refurbishment era, well aged and difficult to assemble? (Must see if there is a DVD of the Copley).

The final straw for me - (I could, as its necessary, abide most of it) in the new production was when Mimi is prostrate, about to expire, and the best they can find to support her head is something like a small wooden box (/pile of books / something). I'm hoping a revival producer will fix that piece of nonsense. (Perhaps its time to complain about it - they do reply (or they did to my Lucia de Lammermoor griping email a few years ago)).

Thirded. The Jones production is, in my view lazy and uninspired and the sets ugly and incoherent for the reasons already stated. It was premiered in 2017, so only just before the refurbishment. However, the IKEA style garret is very similar to the design of Hunding’s hut that the same designer provided for Jones’ lamentable Valkyrie at ENO, so I think the Scandi pad was an intentional design decision.

The Copley production dated back to 1974 and was one of the Opera’s oldest productions when it was finally retired. I think the sets were very much on their last legs when it was decided to replace it (especially given the number of times it was performed between 1974 and 2015.

There are two DVD recordings of the Copley production. The first from 1982 features Ileana Cotrubas, Neil Shicoff and a young Thomas Allen. It’s a wonderful performance although picture and sound are rather dated. The second was recorded in 2009, has much better picture and sound and is also available on blu ray. It stars Hibla Gerzmava and Teodor Ilincai as the lovers and was conducted by Andris Nelsons.

[Cockney Sparrow]

Thanks LHC for the info about DVDs - will search them out!

I think I had in mind the redevelopment of the ROH, which I see was completed in 2000..... But yes, it was a very elderly set and logic, I suppose, meant there had to be a new production.

[LHC]

Thanks LHC for the info about DVDs - will search them out!

I think I had in mind the redevelopment of the ROH, which I see was completed in 2000..... But yes, it was a very elderly set and logic, I suppose, meant there had to be a new production.

Looking at the Opera House Performance Database, the Copley production was performed at least 163 times between 1974 and 2015 and was put on almost every year. As the Database appears to be incomplete (only single performances are listed for the years 1982, 1984, 1985, 1990 and 1997 when it is clear that there would have been multiple performances in each of those years) it is quite likely that the total number of performances exceeds 200. That's a lot of punishment for those sets.

The final run of performances of the Copley production in 2015 featured Netrebko as Mimi and Calleja as Rodolfo and was promoted as being the last time to see this production. I think it was shown in cinemas at the time, but a recording of those performances hasn't been released.

[Barbirollians]

Looking at the Opera House Performance Database, the Copley production was performed at least 163 times between 1974 and 2015 and was put on almost every year. As the Database appears to be incomplete (only single performances are listed for the years 1982, 1984, 1985, 1990 and 1997 when it is clear that there would have been multiple performances in each of those years) it is quite likely that the total number of performances exceeds 200. That's a lot of punishment for those sets.

The final run of performances of the Copley production in 2015 featured Netrebko as Mimi and Calleja as Rodolfo and was promoted as being the last time to see this production. I think it was shown in cinemas at the time, but a recording of those performances hasn't been released.

I saw the final run - the leads were very good and it was a very worthy send off for the production.

[Ein Heldenleben]

Looking at the Opera House Performance Database, the Copley production was performed at least 163 times between 1974 and 2015 and was put on almost every year. As the Database appears to be incomplete (only single performances are listed for the years 1982, 1984, 1985, 1990 and 1997 when it is clear that there would have been multiple performances in each of those years) it is quite likely that the total number of performances exceeds 200. That's a lot of punishment for those sets.

The final run of performances of the Copley production in 2015 featured Netrebko as Mimi and Calleja as Rodolfo and was promoted as being the last time to see this production. I think it was shown in cinemas at the time, but a recording of those performances hasn't been released.

I went to that final series. Better sung than any of the runs of the current production I’ve seen (about 4 of them) and a much better production. I’ve heard on the grapevine Calleja is not in favour at ROH . I’ve no idea why as he’s absolutely outstanding in this role. And as for Netrebko : she sung it as well as I’ve ever heard it sung - particularly Act 4 but I don’t suppose we’ll hear / see her again.

[LHC]

I went to that final series. Better sung than any of the runs of the current production I’ve seen (about 4 of them) and a much better production. I’ve heard on the grapevine Calleja is not in favour at ROH . I’ve no idea why as he’s absolutely outstanding in this role. And as for Netrebko : she sung it as well as I’ve ever heard it sung - particularly Act 4 but I don’t suppose we’ll hear / see her again.

I too saw the final run and agree with everything you've said about its superiority in every way to the Jones' production in all its iterations.

You may be right about Netrebko not returning, although I see that the Opera House is yet to announce who will be singing Leonora in Il Trovatore in June next year. As her husband is still down to sing Manrico, I suspect she was originally scheduled to sing these performances (they normally come as a pair), but had her name removed just before the season was announced. I do wonder if they are holding out for a change in circumstances that would allow them to reinstate her into the cast for these performances. If so, I think this may be a forlorn hope.

[LHC]

I too saw the final run and agree with everything you've said about its superiority in every way to the Jones' production in all its iterations.

You may be right about Netrebko not returning, although I see that the Opera House is yet to announce who will be singing Leonora in Il Trovatore in June next year. As her husband is still down to sing Manrico, I suspect she was originally scheduled to sing these performances (they normally come as a pair), but had her name removed just before the season was announced. I do wonder if they are holding out for a change in circumstances that would allow them to reinstate her into the cast for these performances. If so, I think this may be a forlorn hope.

I see that Netrebko’s husband has now dropped out of Trovatore next year (presumably because the Opera House declined to reinstate Anna). In better news, Marina Rebeka will now be singing Leonora in these performances.

[ChandlersFord]

A later run with a different cast I see is still on BBC4 player to watch . Better singing I think in this version ( I saw Car and Fabiano when it opened) and I was not overly taken with his voice or acting.

Apart from a ham Schaunard I rather enjoyed this last night but I still find the garret set terrible - these are four impoverished young men living in a small attic but it looks like a trendy Scandi pad - with an absurdly small stove, no beds and just doesn't wash. Act 2 seems to be set in an upmarket 20th century shopping arcade despite the period costumes . Act 3 seems almost indistinguishable from the Copley Boheme .

Can't help but still feel the Richard Jones production is distinctly inferior to the old Copley/Trevelyan Oman version.

I would agree, but I think Jones was almost certainly leaned on to not be too outlandish with a reliable money-spinner.

I'm a big fan of Jones' work in opera and I've never been less than impressed with one of his productions, with the exception of his Boheme, which has always seemed watered-down to me.

[kernelbogey]

Watching this now on BBC4 - zero information on who is singing, conducting - not even a recording date.

[JasonPalmer]

Glad it has subtitles, so sad, they could have shacked up together in her little flat. Nice to see ROH on BBC four.

[kernelbogey]

Watching this now on BBC4 - zero information on who is singing, conducting - not even a recording date.

This mornng there is a full note against this performance on the iPlayer website, giving names of lead singers, producer, conductor et al. Outrageous that this was not available when it was going out 'as live' yesterday.