La Bohéme

As someone who had never been to an opera before I was both excited to try something new but apprehensive it could be two and a half hours I’d never get back.
 
Do I know Italian? No.
Do I know anything about classical music? No.
Would I go again? Absolutely!
 
First and foremost, the language barrier actually wasn’t an issue at all. As soon as the curtain rose, a subtle screen at the top of the stage acted as subtitles throughout the performance. I’m sure many would argue it was distracting but for people like me it was ideal. I found I was still able to watch the performance and look at the translation if I was struggling to understand the narrative. It was especially useful for comical scenes that would have completely gone over my head otherwise.
 
Puccini’s La Bohéme itself was incredibly powerful. A story of love and friendship that ultimately resulted in tragedy; it doesn’t get more tragic than ending with a death scene (apologies for the spoiler).
The narrative follows a group of friends and their Bohemian lifestyle, hence the name of the opera, La Boheme. A painter, a poet, a philosopher and a musician make up the eclectic group and are altogether on Christmas Eve in Paris complaining how cold they are. They eventually decide to go out for food and drinks to celebrate the festive holiday, when protagonist Rodolfo (Bekhzod Davronov) meets seamstress Mimi (Gabriella Reyes).
 
The two quickly realise their love for one another and embark on an intense romantic journey. The talent of the cast was off the scale, and I can see why opera is often paired with romance stories- it truly is the language of love. For me, Gabriella’s portrayal of Mimi was incredibly impressive. The sheer power in her voice was overwhelming, and to act alongside was all the more mesmerising. I also loved the dynamic between characters Marcello (Luthando Qave) and Musetta (Mariam Battistelli). They were comical as well as profound and I thoroughly enjoyed the progression of their relationship.
 
If the solo voices weren’t impressive enough, when the chorus all joined the stage it was like the entire theatre was flooded with voices. Even the small group of children singing was clearly audible and brought an extra tone to the many powerful vocalists. I would almost say I was in shock when the stage suddenly went from two people to 20 in a matter of seconds.
 
It’s truly a challenge to put into words what it sounded and felt like, but it was a spectacle of a night and I would encourage others who have never been to an opera to absolutely give it a go!