La Bohème

This isn't as good as most stage versions I've seen, and the 1920's version of the film is far superior (I know many people won't like it because it's so old), but this is still a good film. The story is so good it still works even when it's not a perfectly told version. Acting is good.

As some people may know, I am a huge fan of opera and classical music. And I am a huge fan of La Boheme, so I wanted to see this naturally. And I thought overall it was beautiful. My only complaint was the sound, some of it sounded a bit off and lazy particularly in the middle of Che Glenida Manina, at first I wasn't sure whether it was the sound or whether it was Villazon trying to be even more delicate than he was being- anyone who's seen him before will know he does have quite an eccentric, passionate and exciting presence particularly when he's talking about singing and opera.

Other than that, I loved this production of La Boheme. It's not the best(I remember the 1988 production with Mirella Freni and Luciano Pavarotti with such fondness), but it doesn't try to be. On its own, it is a very solid performance of a beautiful opera. The production values are wonderful. The photography has some interesting angles that don't jar, while the sets, lighting and costumes are very pleasing to the eye.

Puccini's music is amazing. It is an incredibly lyrical and poignant score, with some of the most breathtakingly beautiful tunes in the history of opera, particularly Mimi's Act 1 aria and the Act 3 duet, both of which bring a lump to my throat always(and it did here too). I also cannot hold back my tears during Act 4, knowing what is going to happen at the end just has me in floods, and here it did do that.

La Boheme while heart-rending does also have one or two humorous spots. Particularly in Act 2, primarily Musetta's entrance and Marcello's reactions to her and the men's shock over the expensive bill. The story is beautifully constructed and never feels forced or superficial.

The performances are top drawer. Anna Netrebko is a stunning Mimi, she is in beautiful voice, she looks beautiful, here her stage presence feels natural and understated and she really moved me in Act 4. Rolando Villazon is a pleasant surprise. Although the sound does him little favour, Villazon does do what he can to give a delicate acting performance as well as using his powerful voice to the limits without overdoing it too much. Nicole Cabell is a sheer delight as Musetta, and really holds her own, she is deliciously flirty, charming and seductive in Quando M'en Vo, yet in Act 4 we see a completely different side to Musetta that we don't expect as here she is more humble and sensitive. Marcello and Colline also perform well, and the dubbing actually doesn't distract.

Overall, beautiful version that could have been even better had the sound been more than it was. If you haven't seen it before, or any other version of La Boheme, have a box of tissues at the ready, I think you'll need them. 9/10 Bethany Cox

I was excited to watch this film on PBS after an early holiday dinner. It certainly didn't get off to a good start, with the young Bohemian roommates overacting and over-singing, about nothing at all. Apparently, director Robert Dornhelm had no idea how to play that down. Or else he didn't bother; I don't know. Rolando Villazón should have been encouraged to start off in a more subtle way, with less volume and less mugging. And the makeup artists surely could have done something to make him appear less lugubrious.

It was disappointing to see Anna Netrebko, a riveting actress and singer, so ill-used. Again, there must have been some way to make her appear both more attractive and more interesting; on stage, she is gorgeous and completely unique. The split-screen technique made no sense and added nothing to the drama, while scenes that featured people singing off-screen were confusing and boring.

I'm sure this is not entirely the director's fault. Grand opera fares best on the stage, and often appears stiff and overblown in film versions. Probably the best idea would simply have been to film the singers performing on stage in front of an audience. We would have gotten the benefit of verisimilitude, and the dramatic gestures and heroic singing that opera demands would have seemed much more fitting.

Oh, well!

I expected to hate this because I can't stand dubbed opera but, to my surprise, I found that I loved it. Considerable trouble seems to have been taken with the lip synching and Rolando Villazón in particular really looks as though he is singing rather than just opening and closing his mouth in time to the music. So what this film lacks in operatic authenticity it makes up for in dramatic impact. Villazón has an impressive dramatic range with a very mobile face, OK so sometimes he looks like Mr Bean. Anna Netrebko does not have to do much more than look lovely and sing divinely, two things that she does supremely well. Nicole Cabell is a scream as Musetta and almost outglams La Netrebko. I was going to say that Schaunard, Marcello and Colline are well sung and well acted but, checking the credits, I see that they are performed by three on-screen actors miming to the singers' voices. That probably explains why I thought that the lip-synching was not so good in those roles.

There is just enough opening up of the action. We see Mimi right at the beginning in her room listening with interest to the antics of the four artists. We also see her cross the landing and deliberately blow out her candle before knocking on Rodofo's door. Most surprisingly, we see Mimi and Rodolfo pause on the way to the Café Momus to go to her room and consummate their relationship.

Such a splendid production makes you wonder why they did not do it this way and also record the sound live. The technology is available these days. I suppose it was a question of priorities with the first priority being to make a perfect CD with the film being a subsidiary aim.

It is surprising to see the number of naysayers among the reviews of this filmed version of Puccini's beloved LA BOHEME singling out the very elements that allow stage works to become transferred to the film medium (lip syncing, closeups of cinematic details, uses of both black and white and color, etc). What seems to be overlooked is this chance to see the two leading interpreters of this opera in wide distribution for those who cannot see them in person. As a film this version by Robert Dornhelm works wonders with the intentions of Puccini's bohemian lovers living on little but their love of the arts and for life in the Parisian garrets in the snowy wintertime. He introduces moments of Paris in the snow in black and white, much like old animated daguerreotypes, before the brief overture begins and keeps the flavor of the action moving seamlessly while adding additional elements of information using the same format. He offers some visual information about the passion of the lovers that allows him to reference these moments later in the story when memory brings them forward. All of this makes the opera more than opera: these elements make this a fine movie.

But the true pleasure of this film is the glorious singing and acting of Rolando Villazón and Anna Netrebko as the lovers. They are gorgeous to look at, magnificent in their vocal interpretations, and extraordinary actors. And close behind them is the camaraderie of the entire cast, especially Nicole Cabell as Musetta, George Von Bergen as Marcello, Adrian Eröd as an exceptional Schaunard, and Vitalij Kowaljow as Colline. The involvement in the story is solid and wholly believable and this is a cast of 'minor characters' whose presence is constantly felt and appreciated. Bertrand de Billy conducts with a sure hand. In short if anyone can watch this version of LA BOHEME with a dry eye, then perhaps they are not giving the power of Puccini a chance to be extended into the cinematic techniques required of really excellent film-making. Grady Harp