This is the fifth time since 1987 that the Opéra de Québec has presented Puccini’s La bohème – an audience favourite – to a large and enthusiastic audience. As in 2016, the company entrusted the staging to Jacques Leblanc, who produced an inspiring version, respectful of the Parisian atmosphere of the 1830s while wanting it to be “both timeless and universal,” highlighting the precarious condition of youth and, in particular, of today’s artists.
The sets, by Quebec set designer Ariane Sauvé, are both sober and suggestive: a staircase leads to Rodolfo’s very stylized attic (Acts One and Four). The idea is interesting, but it places the singers at a height halfway up the proscenium, which distances them from the audience both physically and vocally. As if by magic, in the half-light, the whole thing is transformed into a lively square in the Latin Quarter for Act Two, while in Act Three, the Barrière d’Enfer, with its bare tree and toll booth, brings us back to a freezing winter night.
Sébastien Dionne‘s costumes contrast the elegance of the 19th-century bourgeoisie with the eclecticism of the artists’ clothing, who seem to have dressed in a flea market. As for Musetta, her alluring dress leaves no doubt about her status as a frivolous woman.
The two principal roles have been entrusted to two foreign singers: the Italian tenor Riccardo Della Sciucca (Rodolfo) and the French soprano Alexandra Marcellier (Mimi). Della Sciucca’s acting and stage presence compensated for certain vocal weaknesses: his rather light and sometimes grainy voice lacked intensity and, above all, that spinto that Puccini’s lyricism needs. Fortunately, his voice fit well with the male ensembles and with his love duets with Mimi.
Photo Credit: Stéphane Bourgeois
Hugo Laporte, Riccardo Della Sciucca, Geoffroy Salvas and Tomislav Lavoie in the stylized Act One attic set
All the other male roles were sung by excellent singers, well-known in Québec: the trio of artists surrounding Rodolfo highlighted baritones Hugo Laporte (who sang Schaunard in 2016) and Geoffroy Salvas – the first playing the painter Marcello, tormented by artistic inspiration and his jealousy of the coquettish Musetta, the second as Schaunard, the colourful musician and bon vivant. In the final act, bass-baritone Tomislav Lavoie, the philosopher of the quartet of friends, put a lot of emotion into his farewell to his old coat, “Vecchia zimarra, senti.” Bass-baritone Robert Huard‘s acting talents served well the roles of Benoît, the owner of the attic where the friends live, and Alcindoro, Musetta’s “sugar daddy,” roles he had also played ten years ago.
On the women’s side, Alexandra Marcellier’s very first Mimì was great: the voice, ideal for singing Puccini, is rich and very sustained, and it easily connects with the audience. She was able to touch us, in particular, by expressing the distress of her character in the last two acts with great sensitivity. For her debut at OdQ, Saguenay soprano Élisabeth Boudreault did wonders in the role of Musetta, not only with her clear and powerful voice, but also with her sparkle and vivacity; each of her appearances literally captivated the audience. Coquettish and capricious at the Café Momus and the Barrière d’Enfer, she showed all the introspection and delicacy of which she is capable in Act Four comforting the dying Mimì.
The chorus of about 30 voices and the dozen children prepared by Catherine-Élisabeth Loiselle brilliantly coloured the second act. The Orchestre symphonique de Québec, under the inspiring direction of its conductor Clemens Schuldt, brought out all the details subtlety of Puccini’s score, creating moments of grace with the soloists.
Photo Credit: Stéphane Bourgeois
Canadians Hugo Laporte and Élisabeth Boudreault as Marcello and Musetta
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