Celebrated Italian opera La Boheme, first staged in February 1898, comes to life at KLPaC, writes Dennis Chua
LOVERS of opera and music are in for a treat with popular La Boheme coming to town. The Kuala Lumpur City Opera (KLCO), which has brought in full-length opera productions such as Bizet’s Carmen, will present Giacomo Puccini’s famous opera in four acts. La Boheme starts tomorrow and ends Aug 28 at the Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre (KLPaC).
Featuring a stellar cast of some of the brightest opera singers in the country, KLCO will present the full staging of this well-loved opera in its original Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa, based on Scenes De La View Boheme, by Henri Murger.
Director Christopher Ling says the world premier of La Boheme was at the Theatro Regio in Turin, Italy, in February 1898. The opera had its US premiere the following year and then went on to become one of the most frequently performed operas worldwide.
KLCO’s La Boheme will feature prominent names and faces from the local classical singing scene, including Ang Mei Foong, Solomon Chong, Jane Soong, Yap Jin Hin, Chi Hoe Mak, Yeoh Ker Ker, Ho Chi Mei, Samuel Lim and Shawn Liew.
They will be supported by a 45-member KL City Opera Chorus, Orchestra Ensemble Of KL City Opera, Kuala Lumpur Children’s Choir and children from the Opera For Kids programme.
Helmed by executive producers Danny Chen and Ho Soon Yoon, the co-founders of KLCO, the production team includes Colombian Juan Montoya as its principal conductor, and accomplished soprano Cecilia Yap as vocal director.
Set in 1830s Paris, La Boheme is a timeless and indelible story of the carefree life of the bohemian artists, weaving in a passionate and tragic romance of two poverty stricken lovers, poet Rodolfo and seamstress Mimi, who fell in love at first touch.
From this opera comes the famous soprano arias Quando men vo (When I Go Along Alone), as well as tenor solo Che gelida manina (Your Tiny Hand Is frozen) and Si, mi chiamano Mimi (Yes, They Call Me Mimi).
Ling says: “The popularity of La Boheme has influenced modern works such as the musical Rent by Jonathan Larson, which is based on the story of La Boheme, with lovers Roger and Mimi faced with AIDS and songs such as Light My Candle, which have direct references to the opera.”
La Boheme is a first for Ang, Chong, Soong and Yap. To ensure that each main performer does his or her best and takes sufficient rest, Ling has Ang and Soong playing Mimi on alternate days, while Chong and Yap will play Rodolfo on alternate days as well.
“Each of us gives a different interpretation to Mimi and Rodolfo,” says Ang. “For instance, my Mimi is romantic, simple and streetwise.”
Soong nods and adds: “My Mimi is pure, innocent and honest. But both of us depict a Mimi that is consistent with what the script wants, and so she remains true to her character.”
Chong says his Rodolfo is depicted as a compassionate, romantic, sensitive and occasionally jealous young man. “He’s in his 20s and madly in love with Mimi. Consequently, he cannot bear to see her suffer from her terminal illness of tuberculosis.”
As for Yap’s Rodolfo, he says his interpretation of the poet is a man “passionate about life and in love with freedom”.
“He is a Frenchman who practises what he preaches and lives up to his ideals,” says Yap.
The cast has been rehearsing daily since the beginning of the month, and while La Boheme has been staged in an abridged version in 2012, Ling says “nothing beats the coming, full staging of the celebrated play”.
“It’s KLPaC’s first staging of a full-length opera and the singer-actors will be in full costume reflective of 1830s France,” says Ling.
“There are 25 fully sung pieces, entirely in Italian, 11 principal performers, 35 chorus singers, 32 child singers and 25 orchestra members.”
Costume designer Dominique Devorsine, who has collaborated with KLPaC in most of its major musicals and plays, has taken a page out of her knowledge of French fashion history to create apt costumes for the characters.
Ang says: “It’s a little like Les Miserables, since the setting is in Paris, France. However, the story is entirely focused on the life of itenerant, young artistic souls, hence the title La Boheme which means The Bohemians.”
Chong says La Boheme easily appeals to the romantic at heart, because it is a no-holds-barred celebration of love.
“It is never easy to express one’s love for another, but Rodolfo and Mimi do it beautifully in La Boheme. Each goes all out to make his or her partner happy,” says Yap.
“Though Mimi is dying, Rodolfo gives her unconditional love.”
Soong says the production team will stay true to the original production of La Boheme but is also taking a cue from Australian director Baz Luhrmann’s 2002 production.
“Some key elements of Luhrmann’s film are inserted into our version of the play. This is because, fans who have seen the Luhrmann version, will be able to identify with it.”
Ling, Ang, Soong, Yap and Chong recently attended weekly rehearsals at Theatre 360 opposite KLPaC in Jalan Ipoh, Kuala Lumpur.
They describe the operatic musical as one which will appeal to all theatre-goers who appreciate poignant yet hopeful stories which reflect the realities of modern society. dchua@nst.com.my
A TRAGIC LOVE STORY
RODOLFO is a poet who lives in the Latin Quarter with painter Marcello, writer Colline and musician Schaunard. Living nearby is Mimi, a seamstress stricken with tuberculosis.
Rodolfo does not want her to suffer and wants her to have a better life with someone else yet she is loyal to him and wants to spend her last days with him.
The KLCO, formerly known as the Eat, Sing & Travel People, has won two Boh Cameronian Kakiseni Arts Awards for two productions in 2014.
To date, its notable performances include the KLCO Fundraising Concert, Can You Handel This? (2015), Double Bill: Tchaikovsky Nutcracker & Amahl & The Night Visitors (2014) and L’Elisir d’Amore (2014).
Giacomo Puccini’s La Boheme
When: Tomorrow till Sunday, 8.30pm (Sunday, 3pm show only)
Where: KLPaC, Sentul West, Jalan Strachan, Off Jalan Ipoh, KL
Admission: RM128
Tel: 03-4047 9000 or visit www.eatsingtravel.net