Operarecension: Spexigheten creates distance in the revival of La Bohème

José Cura had a fun idea when he 2015 put up Puccini's classic ”La bohème” at the Royal Opera house: why not move the document from the 1840's Paris to the 1870s, Stockholm? Because August Strindberg was inspired by Henry Murgers ”From bohemens world” (model ”La bohème”) when he wrote ”the Red room”, why not make Strindberg to the opera's starring role?

And while we're at it with this wild fan fiction: why not also make the other bohemians to real people from the scandinavian kulturvärld? The artist Marcello was Edvard Munch, his on-and-off-girlfriend, Musetta became Tulla Larsen, the philosopher Colline was Søren Kirkegaard and composer Schaunard was Edvard Grieg. All Parisreferenser in the libretto were changed to Stockholmsreferenser and Munchmålningar or Munchinspirerade paintings projected in the fund.

José Cura, who not only directed but also accounted for the set design, costume, mask, and light, must have had a lot of fun for its idea. And the audience giggling every time the Stockholm surprisingly popping up in the Italian libretto. Personally, I think it spexiga grip creates distance, and some irritation. But I also understand the need to shake of this opera that have been set up so very many times since its premiere in 1896, and which in no way seems to decline in popularity.

It becomes a problem when the set is already teetering on the fånighetens limit.

is True Gibbs, superb as Musetta/Tulla Larsen, the only singer in the original huvudrollsgänget that is left. Sabina Bisholt debuts at the Royal Opera house as Mimì and makes a fine if not stunning effort. One problem is that the chemistry between her and the male lead Rodolfo/August Strindberg – the love story to carry the entire opera – is pretty weak.

Mykhailo Malafi from the Ukraine has not a bad voice but manage to not really find out in Rodolfos core: a young man who has vanity poetdrömmar and is in love with love, but who can't handle a serious relationship with a girlfriend who has needs. When he realizes that Mimì is deathly ill, he may panic and want to do end instead of helping her. But they are reunited in one of the operahistoriens most classic snyftarslut.

Malafi is more busy with that singing right, and strong enough (which goes like that – often he fails to break through the orchestra-mighty sounds), than to make a psychologically credible interpretation. His face, often seem stuck in an involuntary smile. It becomes a problem when the set is already teetering on the fånighetens limit. Anyway to stop the revival with Malafi assigned to the Royal Opera for the Anders Wall scholarship, which last year went to the Cornelia Beskow. A star of her caliber is Mykhailo Malafi, not yet, but maybe he can become.

Read more music reviews by Nicholas Ringskog Ferrada-Noli , for example, how gangsterrapparen YG most give the impression of being a happy and relaxed guy .