La Boheme

Michael Fabiano (Rodolfo), Nicole Car (Mimì), Mariusz Kwiecien (Marcello), Simona Mihai (Musetta), Florian Sempey (Schaunard), Luca Tittoto (Colline), Jeremy White (Benoît), Wyn Pencarreg (Alcindoro) & Royal Opera House, Antonio Pappano, Richard Jones

A penniless poet, a young seamstress, and a lost key: Puccini’s passionate opera tells the story of a captivating romance set against the background of 19th-century Paris. The luscious score, with its soaring melodies and rich orchestration, brings to life the relationships between Rodolfo, Mimì and their friends, the painter Marcello and fiery Musetta. Acclaimed director Richard Jones stages a fresh and intelligent new production of one of the world’s most popular operas, conducted by The Royal Opera’s Music Director, Antonio Pappano. Extra Features: Introduction, Antonio Pappano talks about the music; and a Cast Gallery. 'A startlingly new production' (The Independent). ' ... fresh, beautiful, and intelligent' (The Daily Telegraph). 'Car is so good at the sudden bursts of lyricism' (The Art Desk).

Puccini:
 La Bohème

"Pappano is always terrific in Puccini. His pacing and attention to orchestral detail are superb and he draws highly sympathetic playing from his orchestra. But the vocal performances here don’t really make this a Bohème to stand out from the crowd…Car is a lovely Mimì, though, very much the girl next door, with a simple charm to her Act I aria that immediately makes you love her."
Gramophone Magazine - November 2018

"The Royal Opera glows with warmth. Antonio Pappano is in his element relishing every detail in Puccini's score slipping into the Act 1 duet for Rodolfo and Mimi as if we'd never heard it before."
BBC Music Magazine - December 2018 *****

"Fabiano’s vocally dynamic, dramatically impulsive Rodolfo is a thoughtful creation, fully three-dimensional…Kwiecie?’s Marcello is warm in terms of both tone and personality…Car, meanwhile, shows herself a direct and expressive actress, notable for impassioned vocalism that helps her create a more assertive Mimì than usual…[Pappano] draws music-making of stylistic security and the highest quality from the chorus and orchestra."
Opera - January 2019