OPERA REVIEW Size of crowd causes delay in opening of 'La Boh & egrave;me'

The melodies in the opera are familiar, as is its theme of love and grief.
By L. CROW
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
An unexpectedly large crowd showed up at Stambaugh Auditorium on Friday for Opera Western Reserve's production of "La Boh & egrave;me," so large that the curtain rise was delayed about 20 minutes while everyone got tickets and found seats. But it was all worth the wait. The performance was magnificent!
This work by Puccini is certainly one of the more popular operas. Even people who are not opera fans would probably recognize several of the recurring melodies that weave their way throughout this piece. And though sung in Italian, the English supertitles projected above the stage unobtrusively guided the audience through the text.
Puccini based this work on a book by Murger, translated as "The Bohemians of the Latin Quarter." Bohemian in this sense has come to mean poor, struggling artists, often outsiders from society.
The opera begins in the Latin Quarter of Paris on Christmas Eve, as Rodolfo (Christian Sebek), a free-lance writer, and Marcello (Brian Keith Johnson), a painter, freezing in their apartment, agree to burn Rodolfo's latest drama.
What happens next
Other friends Colline (Randall Levin), a philosopher, and Schaunard (Todd Ranney), a musician, enter with food, money and wood to burn, Schaunard having landed a job. Despite their poverty, the group is merry, and decide to go celebrate at Caf & eacute; Momus.
Rodolfo stays behind to finish an article and is visited by Mim & igrave; (Misook Yun), a seamstress, whose candle has blown out. She is pale and out of breath from walking the stairs and faints. She loses her keys, and as they search, she and Rodolfo realize they are in love.
The mood goes from merry to tender, and the two sing an expression of their dreams. The beauty of this exquisite and well-known melody sent tingles down the spine.
In Act II, the curtain comes down, and a street scene takes place on the edge of the stage as children frolic and townspeople celebrate the holiday in festive garb. The curtain rises to the caf & eacute;, where the Rodolfo and Mim & igrave; join their friends, and they all sing about love.
Marcello's former lover, the elegantly dressed Musetta (Marian Vogel), enters on the arm of an older man. Musetta is a showgirl who sings of her own beauty. Marcello and Musetta quickly end up in each other's arms.
How this all ends
By Act III, the mood has become dark and somber. Mim & igrave; cries out to Marcello that Rodolfo accuses her of flirting. Rodolfo knows Mim & igrave; is dying and struggles to break away from her because he fears he loves her too much. Their beautiful and expressive singing reflects the torment and pain these characters are suffering.
In the final act, the men are once again back in their apartment, penniless, hungry and without their lovers. Musetta enters, calling out for help, that Mim & igrave; has returned, too weak to walk the stairs.
They bring her to the apartment, where she and Rodolfo reminisce about their first meeting, and she dies soon after.
Even without the supertitles, the music and action tell the story of this heartbreaking drama. Yun and Sebek were superb as the dreaming lovers whom fate separates. Vogel and Johnson wonderfully portrayed the fiery and passionate Musetta and Marcello.
Stambaugh provided a perfect venue for this production, with its visual beauty and well-suited acoustics. The small pit orchestra performed flawlessly under the direction of Susan Davenny Wyner. The entire production was executed with professional excellence.
Opera Western Reserve is now planning a second production for the year. "Le Nozze di Figaro" will be performed sometime this fall.