Even nearly 100 years since Puccini’s death. La Bohème remains one of his most beloved and frequently performed operas. This COC revival production has now been staged three times in the past 10 years, yet it has a fresh feel. It also features the most diverse cast that has graced the Toronto stage in recent memory.
Rodolfo, Marcello, Schaunard and Colline are four impoverished friends who share a flat they can barely afford. One Christmas eve, while Rodolfo is working alone, his neighbour, the beautiful but frail Mimi, knocks on his door asking for help to light her candle. The two are instantly smitten with each other. At the Latin Quarter where Rodolfo takes Mimi to join his friends, Marcello is taunted by and later renuites with his old flame Musetta. Although the lovers live blissfully together for a time, they are eventually torn apart by jealousy and poverty. As Mimi falls more ill, she returns to her true love Rodolfo to spend her last moments with him.
What you missed
Joo Won Kang as Marcello and Pene Pati as Rodolfo (background left Amina Edris as Mimì) in the Canadian Opera Company’s production of La Bohème, 2023 (Photo by Michael Cooper)
Canadian soprano Jonelle Sills was scheduled to sing Mimi at a later performance, but her COC debut got moved up when it was announced at the last minute that Amina Edris (who was a memorable Violetta in La Traviata two years ago) was indisposed. Sills has a sweet and silky tone throughout with a gorgeous vibrato in her high notes. Although her Mimi could be portrayed with more vulnerability and fragility and sung with more colours, she proved to be a worthy replacement. Charlotte Siegel, the other soprano, has a darker timbre by contrast. She has the right amount of effervescence and flamboyance as the temptress Musetta. As a current member of the COC Ensemble Studio, Siegel is already proving she is ready to take on big roles on the main stage.
But it is Samoan tenor Pene Pati who steals the show as Rodolfo. He has immense control of his lush voice, equally effective when soaring to high notes and bringing nuance to his pianissimos. His “Che gelida manina” is a revelation that leaves us yearning for more. The last scene as he comforts the dying Mimi was delivered with such genuine tenderness and emotions, it left many moist eyes in the audience. This is Pati’s debut with the COC and let’s hope he returns to Toronto soon.
Along with Pati, baritones Joo Won Kang (Marcello) and Justin Walsh (Schaunard), and bass Blaise Malaba (Colline) make a credible quartet of friends who have a natural ease and chemistry with each other. Kang is a superb actor who brings an animated presence to the stage, along with a robust sound. Welsh is another energetic actor, a good contrast to the more subdued philosopher sung by Malaba. The quartet effectively evokes laughter with their many silly, comedic moments. If not for the tragic ending, La Bohème would be considered a comedy.
Pene Pati as Rodolfo and Amina Edris as Mimì in the Canadian Opera Company’s production of La Bohème, 2023 (Photo by Michael Cooper)
Special mention goes to the COC Children’s Chorus, for bringing their angelic voices and youthful vigour to enliven the scene at the Latin Quarter.
Mississauga-born conductor Jordan de Souza takes the COC Orchestra through a lively reading of Puccini’s sublime score. The orchestra, though a tad loud at times, is in its usual top-notch shape.
Gripes
The set is pleasant to the eyes, but curiously, there is no Christmas spirit in Paris. In Act II, the lack of focused lighting on Mimi made her presence rather obscure against the already-dark background.
Canadian Opera Company presents La Bohème at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts in Toronto October 6-28, 2023. www.coc.ca
