I think that there is a line written in Stephen King’s novella, ‘The Four Seasons’ that states, “I’ve no idea what those two, young Italian ladies were singing about but it was the most beautiful thing I’d ever heard.” Up until a few nights ago that was about as close as I’d been to the world of opera. My meagre knowledge of operatic performance was condensced into knowing that Bizet wrote Carmen and that Puccini was pretty good too having composed both Madame Butterfly and La Boheme. That said, my eclecticity where music is concerned extended to always wanting to attend a night at the opera; to experience a level of culture I’d rarely attained.
Where better, then, to experience my first taste of opera than the Royal Opera House on a freezing cold evening in the heart of London’s Covent Garden. And surely the most appropriate performance to take in on a night when snow was gently covering the capital was La Boheme itself.
My fiancee had, rather fantastically, purchased tickets as a Christmas gift and so we’d decided to make a night of it and book into a hotel befitting our posh clothes. Thankfully, though England is currently gripped in the coldest Winter I can remember, we both made it safely to our digs and readied ourselves before catching a cab across Waterloo bridge to the ROH. Arriving with around 20 minutes to spare we paused to look up at the opera house itself, its columns bathed in white light, snow flakes falling gently out of a pitch dark night. Despite January’s icy fingers digging into us both of us relished the romance the vista presented and we smiled broadly as we relished the anticipation of entering the building.
Once inside, we bought the obligatory performance programme and made our way to the right to find the stairwell to our seats. Again, Father Christmas had been kind with regards the tickets we held and we made our way to the Grand Tier stopping first to purchase a glass of champagne from the bar. Whilst supping the bubbly we decided to pre-book our interval drinks too and then wandered gracefully towards our seats. There was an excitable hum inside the theatre as people found their own seats and chattered in hushed reverance as we awaited the start of the performance. Looking around the grand buildings interior we felt every bit a lord and lady propelled back in time; illuminated antique lamps hung from each balcony and crushed red material draped seats and banisters.
Both Karen and I had decided on not researching the story’s plot wanting instead to be immersed with surprise as the night unfolded. However I feel I should give you an idea of what Puccini’s opera is all about although please be warned that the following two paragraphs are a real spoiler for anyone wanting to attend!
Spread over four acts and set in Paris in the 1800′s, it is Christmas Eve in a struggling poets (Rodolfo) garret. His friend Marcello is gently goading him about poverty along with other friends until finally Rodolfo finds himself alone. A short time passes and there is a knock at the door and a young woman (Mimi) enters carrying a candle. It quickly becomes apparent that both find each other attractive and it’s not too long before they are confessing to being in love with each other. The relationship starts well, especially while revelling into the night at a Parisian restaurant with Rodolfo’s friends. However, as the months progress their feelings for each other become frayed as Rodolfo’s apparent insecurities and jealousy threatens to tear them apart. Meanwhile, a sub plot, involving Marcello and another young woman (Musetta) rumbles alongside and takes us to another location in Paris. This is where the desperate Rodolfo confesses to his friend that his jealous moods are a cover for the real reason for breaking his relationship with Mimi; that of his worry over the effect his poverty is having on the health of his love.
Eventually, such trials split the couple until they are reunited in grief toward the end of the opera. Mimi is now so ill she returns to Rodolfo’s garret and while lying on his bed awaiting death they reminisce fondly of how they first met. Rodolfo and his friends are still hopeful that Mimi can get better but while waiting for doctors medicine to arrive, she dies quietly and unnoticed.
I have to say I was quite unprepared for how emotional the story is. There were genuine tears welling at the end of the performance as Rodolfo looked out of his window awaiting the medicine as Mimi’s arm slumped from beneath the covers of the bed to hang limp and lifeless.
The opera gave us a glut of emotions; obviously, the sadness at the end is the feeling that stays with you as you leave but throughout the performance there had been reason to portray glee, happiness, shock, laughter and awe. All three of the sets were incredibly detailed on stage and each left an indelible image long after the performance had finished. Not least that of the third act. In keeping with the wintery weather outside, this act was staged outside in a courtyard and throughout the performance snow gently drifted down onto the a stage already deep with crisp flakes.
I really don’t confess to knowing too much about opera music; whether any of the baritones, sopranos and tenors etc could reach and hold their notes but to me I thought the singing was immaculate. In addition to hitting the notes and timing their vocals with the orchestra the actors acted superbly well conveying comedy and tragedy in equal measure. The whole performance was magical.
Seeing La Boheme is inspiring and I’m sure that both Karen and I will seek out other operatic performances to attend together and enjoy.
Following the performance we stepped out of the building to find more snow falling in the streets outside solidifying the images of the night. After hailing a cab we were driven back to our hotel which was on the banks of the Thames overlooking the Houses of Parliament. It seemed only right to retire to the hotel bar and order cocktails before sipping champagne in the room to close the evening down in the opulence that it had began!