Review: Portland Opera's "La Boheme" brings pathos to a full house at the Keller

Rebecca Krynski Cox as Mimi and Aloc Kumar as Rodolfo | Photo by Sunny Martini

"La Boheme," one of the most popular operas ever written, opened Portland Opera’s season on November 15 the pizazz and a full house at the Keller Auditorium. The buzz in the lobby was palpable as concertgoers vied for photos against the Portland Opera backdrop and lined up for drinks. Inside the hall, I looked up to see people in the topmost balcony – a site that I had not seen in quite a while at Portland Opera’s mainstage productions. The packed house might have been due in part to the fact that only three performances of this famous evergreen are scheduled – a reduction from the usual four or more performances in pre-Covid times. But Puccini's beloved opera is a sure-fire way to kick off the season in any case.

This production of "La Boheme" featured a strong cast, which was supported incisively by the Portland Opera Orchestra under Nicholas Fox. Stage director/choreographer Cara Consilvio gave straightforward directions that made the story easy to follow and placed all of the action dead-center. Colorful costuming by Martin Pakledinaz and Faban Aguilar brightened up the dusky and evocative scenery designed by Michael Yeargan. Lighting by Marcella Barbeau superbly helped to focus the story.

The Bohemians with Richard Zellar as Benoit | Photo by Sunny Martini

The principal singers were led by Rebecca Krynski Cox as the ill-fated Mimi and Aloc Kumar as her lover Rodolfo. Both gave passionate accounts of their characters that won over the hearts of the audience. Katrina Galka fashioned a scene-stealing Musetta, and her flamboyant behavior clashed extremely well with her hot-headed and jealous lover Marcello, sung with a warmest of baritone voices by Markel Reed.

Adrian Rosales buoyed up his friends’ spirits with food and drink. As the philosopher Colline, Jason Zacher grand moment came when he delivered a poignant farewell to his overcoat, which he sold to buy medicine for Mimi. Richard Zeller masterfully conveyed two gullible characters: the landlord Benoit and the Alcindoro, the wealthy admirer of Musetta.

Katrina Galka as Musetta | Photo by Sunny Martini

Sets originating at San Francisco Opera placed the action squarely in the Paris of the 1890s, depicting a garret with an expanse of windows on one side, and the meager trappings of a bed, a table, a few chairs, and a stove. Icicles hung from the ceiling, indicating how cold the space was for the four, young bohemian artists who lived there. The scene at Café Momus took place inside the restaurant, which was kind of odd when the toy salesman came in with a group of kids circling around him. The scene at the city gates worked well, but the final scene, which returned the action to the garret seemed to be missing the framework of the windows, giving the impression that the characters could step right out – into skyscape of the city.

Photo by Sunny Martini

The orchestra was too dominant in the first scene, especially for most of the male voices, but they could be easily heard the rest of the way because all of the singing took place near the front of the stage. When action returned to the garret for the final scene, the orchestration was quieter, and that really worked to the singers’ favor and helped to deliver the gut-punch of the tragedy.

 

Photo by Sunny Martini

This production of "La Boheme" marked the last one that Sue Dixon would oversee as the Portland Opera’s General Director. Kregg Arntson, president of the company’s board of directors, gave Dixon, who held the GD position for the past six years, a touching send-off before the curtain went up, and that helped to make the evening a special occasion.