There you could have seen John Copley’s revered production of Puccini’s La Bohème for the first time with Domingo and Ricciarelli, no less, providing its original Rodolfo and Mimi. However, things weren’t that different at the Royal Opera House. As any good Bohème should do, the audience was left sobbing by the end – an utterly winning revival.Forty years ago England was a different country, with its three-day weeks and power cuts.
Top marks as well to the socially-distanced chorus and children’s chorus, adding a wonderful freshness to the performance. The evening was overseen by Renato Balsadonna, who followed his singers admirably well while drawing sumptuous sound from the reduced orchestra. Though neither Guerrero nor Princeva are particular stage animals, they were utterly disarming in their earnestness and showed great chemistry with one another. Princeva is also able to shade her voice beautifully, practically whispering her final lines. Hers is an immediately tragic Mimì, looking haunted from the beginning as if she knows her relationship with Rodolfo is doomed. Her entrance makes an immediate aural impact, her dark coppery soprano flecked with melancholy. The Russian soprano is a much richer voice than we typically get in the role, and her repertoire includes Lohengrin, Trovatore, and Vespri siciliani. But it’s Anna Princeva’s Mimì who is the real reason to see this revival. His “Che gelida manina”, taken at a daringly slow tempo, was beautifully nuanced and displayed an admirable control of the line.
He makes for an earnest, direct Rodolfo, and though his intonation tends to sag in his middle register he makes the most of the character’s emotional outbursts. Joshua Guerrero has an undeniably exciting voice, with squillo and high notes to burn.
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