La Bohème

La Boheme is one of my all-time favourite operas, it has sublime music, compelling characters and a heartbreaking story. This La Boheme is very effective, however it is also sadly overlooked. I grew up with the 1988 production with Pavarotti and Freni and I love the 1965 one with Freni and Gianni Raimondi and the 1982 production with Stratas and Carreras. That said, this is still wonderful.

The costumes, photography and settings are beautiful to look at, and the orchestra and conducting are wonderfully genteel. The performances are terrific, Luca Canonici is a more than credible Rodolfo, and Jose Carreras' singing is superb. Barbara Hendricks is a suitably moving Mimi, Angela Maria Blasi is a sheer delight as Musetta(Quando M'en Vo is beautifully and wittily sung) and Gino Quilico is wholly convincing as Marcello with a fine voice and great style.

All in all, very effective and not one to be as overlooked as I feel it is. 9/10 Bethany Cox