Arts & Events

On Saturday; June 10, Puccini’s La Bohème returned to San Francisco Opera, this time with a completely new cast never heard here before in these roles. Rodolfo was sung by Mexican tenor Arturo Chacón-Cruz, whose only prior appearance here was in 2016 as the Duke of Mantua in Verdi’s Rigoletto. Chacón-Cruz is a lyric tenor who brings an intimate vocal warmth to his portrayal of the impoverished Parisian poet Rodolfo. Unfortunately, however, Conductor Carlo Montanaro opened Act I of La Bohème on Saturday with the orchestra playing so loud that the singers’ voices were smothered. The famed Racconto di Rodolfo, the poet’s narrative to Mimi telling who he is and how he lives, came through only due to our familiarity with the words and music of this great number. Thus we could anticipate the words even if we could not necessarily hear each word being sung by Chacón-Cruz due to the overbearing orchestral accompaniment. The same was true of Mimi’s famed “Mi chiamano Mimi,” though it was beautifully sung, albeit on a very small and intimate scale, by Italian soprano Erika Grimaldi.  

As for the horseplay among the Bohemians inhabiting their garret that opens La Bohème, it was full of wit and gaiety as always. Director John Caird adroitly staged the familiar hijinks, and the stage-set by David Farley was handsomely laid out, though the high windows looking out onto Parisian rooftops sported projected images that were so dark and dingy they could barely be made out. Norwegian baritone Audun Iversen was a moving Marcello; bass Scott Conner was an able Colline; and bass-baritone Brad Walker was a competent Schaunard. Veteran Dale Travis, a bass-baritone, sang the roles of the landlord Benoit and the aging suitor of Musetta, Alcindoro. Travis alone of this cast had previously sung at San Francisco Opera in La Bohème.  

The Act II scene at Café Momus in the Latin Quarter was beautifully staged, complete with a military brass band and the itinerant toy-seller Parpignol, sung here by tenor Colby Roberts. Musetta was capably sung by soprano Ellie Dehn, though Dehn’s “Quando m’en vo’ soletta per la via” was a little less impressive than usual due once again to the loud orchestral accompaniment led by Conductor Carlo Montanaro. Ian Robertson led the San Francisco Opera Chorus and Boys Chorus, while the San Francisco Girls Chorus was prepared by Lisa Bielawa and Valérie Sainte-Agathe.  

Some of the best singing occurred in Act III in the duets between Marcello and Mimi, then between Rodolfo and Mimi, when they encounter one another on a snowy morning outside the tavern where Marcello works as a sign-painter. In an opera full of gorgeous vocal writing, Act III of La Bohème may contain the very finest vocal music of the entire opera. In this production, Chacón-Cruz and Grimaldi were at their best in Act III, and, thankfully, the orchestra did not cover their voices in this Act. Audun Iversen’s Marcello was also at his best here, both in his duets with Mimi and in his venomous spat with Musetta at the close of Act III. 

Act IV of La Bohème, of course, is the quintessential tear-jerker, and it never fails to move us, often to tears, no matter how many times we’ve heard it. This time around was no exception. Puccini’s re-use of fragments of music from the Act I falling-in-love scene between Rodolfo and Mimi is extremely effective here in Act IV, where it has new poignancy due to Mimi’s extremely frail, clearly dying condition. And when Mimi’s voice finally trails off into silence, and her arm drops limply by her side, it is the other Bohemians who first notice that she has died. When Rodolfo becomes aware that they are all anxiously regarding him, he rushes to Mimi’s bedside, embraces her, and cries out in anguish, “Mimi! Mimi!” as the final chords of Puccini’s La Bohème bring this great opera to a dramatic close.  

La Bohème continues at the War Memorial Opera House through July 2. Former Adler fellow Julie Adams will sing the role of Mimi on June 20 and 25.