Rating: 
Summary: Simply Brilliant
Review: In the hand of the very creative film director Baz Luhrmann, who gathered a cast with young opera singers, updated the story to the 1950s, but rightfully left Puccini's music intact, this Bohème challenged the stereotyped opera form, and yet, came off triumphantly. It is great theatre with drama conveyed by great acting and singing. Who cares whether or not the singers were able, if they ever cared, to make the finals of Metropolitan audition, what they have created is simply brilliant.
You have to watch this Boheme to believe how brilliant it is. It is not average opera production people have in mind...perhaps it is what opera ought to be.
Rating:
Summary: In defence of The Australian Opera singers (Take #1)
Review: Some viewers seem to feel that the voices of the artists in general - and one artist in particular - are too good to be true, so I wish to point out that the video of "La Bohème" was recorded at a standard Sydney Opera House performance on February 25th 1993, and that the only 'miking' employed was what would be required to make such a recording. The singers of The Australian Opera (or Opera Australia as it became in 1996) use no artificial assistance for their voices and wouldn't have a clue about 'lip-synching'! I might add that the acoustics in the Opera Theatre are notoriously unhelpful to singers and orchestras alike, although this problem is to be addressed when upgrading is carried out in 2005.
It was acknowledged that Hobson's voice wasn't ideal for the role, since his forté is Mozart, Rossini and Gluck, but he was Baz Luhrmann's choice for Rodolfo because of his outstanding acting ability, and his artistry as a singer carried him through to great acclaim. As well as possessing the few CDs and videos available of Hobson's work, I'm in the happy position of hearing him sing 'live' and can assure you that there is not (and never has been) anything 'tiny' about his voice - regardless of what he performs, to hear him singing in person is simply stunning and unforgettable! Mercifully, he is neither a Domingo nor a Heppner, but a comparatively rare 'haute-contre' tenor.
Rating:
Summary: SOLD!!!!
Review: This is a wonderful....simply rapturous staging of La Boheme. These singing actors put to shame the ancient Stand and Sing tradtion in Opera.
First I will voice what few reservations I have about the prodution.
Although there is no problem with the transfer to 1950's France, the english translation is sparce, it leaves out jokes and wordplays, and taks alot of liberties. But this is forgivable.
Vocally Marcello (Roger Lemke) has a thin and unattractive top voice. He makes up for this by being a very convincing characher with an exrtremely cool stage deportment.
David Hobson as Rudolpho sounds very much like Juan Diego Florez with a piercing Rossinian tone. He delivers the top notes with great ease.
David Lemke's huge baritone makes for a excellent Schunard. Gary Rowley is a hillarious colline, the coat song is, however rushed.
Cheryl Barker is a good Mimi, a touch spread at the top, but very effective. Christine Douglas is a wonder Musetta with a generously sized voice.
Musically this production does not stand out from the pack. Its value as a production, however, is inestimable. The acting is on another level and the staging is so intricate. It is moving to see such involved stage action. It is a stark contrast to the immovable Pavarotti (Who is undoubtedly a more gifted tenor) who cannot seem to identify with his characters. Carreras and Stratas, on the met Boheme, compete with this production with their convincing acting, but for this generation Baz Lurhmans Boheme has a more profound impact. it is a matter of personal taste whether you prefer the sensitive drama of classic Pucinni or baz's in your face realism. Either way, the updating of Boheme really brings home its importance as a work. It really works!!!! This is a must have!
Rating:
Summary: A Boheme for the Ages
Review: A Boheme for the Ages.
While this visually updated Boheme may not be the most perfectly sung Boheme I've ever heard - it is nonetheless one of the most nearly perfect performances I've ever seen. Under Baz Luhrmann's guidance Australian Opera has put together a true Boheme that should speak to any age. Cast with then mostly unknown young singers, the magic of Puccini is given prominence in a way that is not often possible with bigger named stars.
Here also is an urgency here that captures the true youth of these characters and makes these characters jump out in to the drama. The Act II Café Momus scene is just about perfect in ensemble and catches the right amount of fire to make the scene genuinely sparkle and pop.
Cheryl Barker gives a unique perspective to Mimi and David Hobson is nothing short of amazing as Rodolfo. The supporting cast and Luhrmann's production team make this a Boheme for the ages.
Rating:
Summary: Tell me you love me!
Review: Think "Moulin Rouge" was the first musical extravaganza that Baz Luhrmann directed? Think again -- he directed the opera "La Boheme," at the world-famous Sydney Opera House. With his usual colorful flair and touching romances, Luhrmann presents Puccini's classic in rare style.
It's Christmas Eve in 1950s Paris, and a bunch of bohemian artists are rooming together in a cramped apartment. It's freezing, so they burn Rudolfo's (David Hobson) play to keep warm. When his pals go out on the town, Rudolfo stays behind for a few minutes -- only to have a beautiful young woman (Cheryl Barker) stumble in, asking for a candle.
Rudolfo and Mimi fall head-over-heels in love with each other, without regard for their poverty -- after all, they share a belief that beauty, love and gentleness is what is important. But Mimi is frail and consumptive (ie, tuberculosis), and her illness threatens to tear the young lovers apart.
Baz Luhrmann clearly knows that a really riveting performance -- be it stage, opera, or movie -- is not just about acting or vocals, but also about the trappings. The singers are the right age, dressed in simple clothes and with a shabby, colorful backdrop of rotating sets behind them. In a way, you can almost forget that it's an opera, and enjoy it just as a performance.
Luhrmann's direction is a mix of humor and romance -- one moment we've got the merry bohemians prancing around, eating baguettes and wine in a bathtub. The next, we have the exquisite scene where Mimi and Rudolfo introduce themselves to one another, and slip out into the darkness hand in hand.
And he keeps his splashes of color, as in his other films -- whether it's a flickering fire, red splashes of paint or a purple bathrobe, he injects color into a lifeless, dark place. Not to mention the time frame change. But aside from bright electric lights and leather jackets, there's barely any reference to the time being the post-war 1950s -- truly timeless.
The cast is not the best, vocally -- they're not bad, but they're not the best either. However, they can act. Very well. Hobson appears to be really weeping at the end, and Barker really does look sick. Moreover, their scenes are not just about singing, but about exuding what appears to be genuine adoration. When it comes to giving emotional (rather than vocal) performances, the cast is perhaps the best there has been.
Baz Luhrmann puts his unique stamp on Puccini's classic opera, filling it with color and emotion. Even people who don't normally like opera may feel a thrill as they watch "La Boheme."
Rating:
Summary: Simply Brilliant
Review: I cannot recommend this enough. I'll try to keep it brief!
All singing and acting is close to perfect. The directing is, to say the least, imaginative and well-conceived.
My only beef (which prevents the 5th star) is with the conductor: his tempos repeatedly fail to square with the score, and the orchestra seems woodwind-heavy under his baton.
Buy it? Yes, siree.
Definitive version? Probably not.
P.S. buy a libretto, because the English subtitles are tremendously inaccurate
Rating:
Summary: one of the best filmed versions of an opera.....
Review: First of all, what drew me to watch this performance back in 1994 was director, Baz Luhrmann, who brought us the beautiful, delightfully quirky Strictly Ballroom. I was interested to see how he would direct one of the most beautiful and heartbreaking operas I know. Needless to say, I was completely enchanted!
The story of a group of Bohemians living together, and barely scraping by, and then the writer of the group, Rudolfo (David Hobson) meeting the beautiful and frail Mimi (Cheryl Barker) who brings sunshine and hope into his life is timeless.
Not only is the acting strong, but the singing is positively stirring. I know other customers have mentioned David Hobson's portrayal of Rudolfo, but I had to add my two cents as well. He is a magnificent and stirring singer and smouldering actor. I kept wishing I was Mimi instead of Cheryl Barker. From his expressive eyes, to his beautiful and graceful renditions of the arias, I was in love from the moment I saw him. Cheryl Barker is also beautiful and very believable in her portrayal of Mimi. Just lovely. The supporting cast was great, too. Schaunard, Musetta, and all of the others were portrayed with zest. Please check this out!!!!! You won't be disappointed.
Rating:
Summary: Absolutely Superb
Review: I am not a fan of opera at all. When Rent first came out (a show I deeply love and connect to), I was surprised to discover it was modeled after Puccini's La Boheme. So, I decided to culture myself and by a CD version of the opera. I enjoyed it, but again, it was not something I'd play over and over again. Then the hoopla began with Baz Luhrmann's production of the show coming to Broadway, and I was excited. Here was an amazing visual director doing an "updated" version (set in 1950s Paris, France) of an opera. I was excited to see it, but unfortunately it closed before I had a chance to make my way to NYC.Then, I came across this DVD version of his original production performed at the Sydney Opera House. I bought it just to check it out for myself, and I was blown away by the quality of the show. Luhrmann moves the story to post-war 1950's Paris, and it works completely. The main plot of the opera involves the love between Rudolfo and Mimi, who meet one evening when Mimi comes asking for him to light her candle, and the rise of their love, the jealousies, and eventually the downfall. The production quality of the show is superb, and the design of the whole show is very similar to Moulin Rouge. Luhrmann even goes so far as putting the "L'Amour" sign in his La Boheme into Moulin Rouge. The color design of the show is very similar as well. There is ver very "black and white" movie quality to the show, and Catherine Martin's costume design throws in the added primary colors making each cast member stand out in their owen individual way. The set of Marcello and Rudolfo's apartment matchces Christian's apartment in Moulin Rouge as well. The singers are wonderful, and they sing Puccini's music with such ease and grace it's enough to make anyone jealous of their talent. Also, much has been said about Luhrmann's casting of age appropriate actors to play the parts. In my opinion, this is a definate asset to the show. Visually and vocally, Luhrmann's opera is a sight to be seen and heard. This version of Puccini's opera is perfect for someone justing getting their first exposure to opera. It totally accessible with the universal plot of love gained and lost, and Puccini's music is superb.
Rating:
Summary: SHEER DELIGHT! Believe what you're reading, and more....
Review: First of all, note that this DVD is underpriced. A few things I can add to the other 5-star comments: I defy anyone to get past "Che gelida manina" without hitting the back button at least twice. (8 times for me) Also, if you have any doubt that David Hobson poured himself completely into his "Rodolfo", then check out the extended curtain call at the end. He never does seem to compose himself. Totally believable. (Men, you may not want to let your wife see it. This guy could steal her heart!) And, delightful to see an attractive Mimi (Cheryl Barker) Though this charachter was sickly, the background history of the book says she was based on an attractive model. The higher priced Met version features a normally attactive Teresa Stratas' eyes made up to look quite frightening. Was it a special Halloween edition? To believe Rodofo could have fallen in love with HER eyes was impossible. On the contrary, in this version, Barker masterfully balances the combination of ill health and beauty. And, the appropriately youthful cast doesn't short you at all on voice quality. The other players were consistently excellent, and lovable. Like the Lyon version of "Figaro", a great one to get a friend started on opera. Bravo!
Rating:
Summary: One of the World's Best Opera Companies
Review: This is the all around most wonderful opera performance I have been able to watch on my TV (even though it is not my favorite opera). When I have watched it (and I watch it often) with non-opera lovers, the result have been amazing.
P.S. It is true: everybody cries his heart out for Hobson, I mean Rodolfo!!!!
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