Germany Puccini, La bohème: Soloists, Refrain and Extras of Theater Bremen, Bremer Philharmoniker / Sasha Yankevych (conductor). Theater Bremen, 23.12.2024. (DM-D)
Manufacturing:
Director – Alize Zandwijk
Set and Lighting – Theun Mosk
Costumes – Anne Sophie Domenz
Refrain and Kids’s refrain director – Karl Bernewitz
Dramaturgy – Brigitte Heusinger
Forged:
Mimì – Adèle Lorenzi
Rodolfo – Oliver Sewell
Musetta – Jelena Banković
Marcello – Michael Partyka
Schaunard – Arvid Fagerfjäll
Colline – Jasin Rammal-Rykala
Benoît – Daniel Ratchev
Alcindoro – Jörg Sändig
Parpignol – Sunwoong Park
Customs officer – Allan Parkes
Customs watchman – Marco Simonelli
Earlier than their chosen efficiency date members of the viewers obtained an invite to carry alongside non-perishable groceries. These things had been collected within the lobby by members of the native Tafel, or meals financial institution. Café Momus and Scene three had been set in and round a big corridor the place meals was being collected and distributed. The solid dealt with the objects introduced in by the spectators, and volunteers would later take the objects to the meals banks they work with. The youngsters in Scene two had been outfitted with assortment containers and celebrated their success gathering donations. A large pink polar bear, in the identical scene, was additionally a part of the gathering actions.
The artists in Scenes one and 4 had been introduced on a really small sq. platform of picket pallets, reached throughout steps and stairs from the wings to the right-hand aspect of the orchestra pit, and thru a hatch from beneath, accessible from the auditorium. The platform had steel railings on three sides, with stools to sit down on, an electrical two-burner tenting hob, and a steel barrel to function a range. This platform was positioned above the orchestra pit, adjoining to the entrance row of spectators, to the fitting of the conductor. The proximity of characters/singers to the viewers allowed spectators to understand the shabby nature of the artists’ garments close-up, together with indicators that these garments had not been washed for a very long time, if ever. This was notably true of Rodolfo’s blue woollen pullover and matching gloves.
Alize Zandwijk is the top of directing within the theatre part of Theater Bremen. This manufacturing marked her first enterprise into opera. She enriched the plot with well-developed and finely nuanced characterisation. For instance, at Rodolfo’s first encounter with Mimì, he took off the pullover, supplied it to Mimi, and he or she hesitated just for a fraction of a second, taking in what it regarded like, realising however not minding that it was soiled and presumably additionally smelly. It was a relatively huge and saggy garment, and in a momentarily humorous flip, he crept into the pullover together with her. Mimì regarded and acted very frail proper from the beginning, a uncommon event on which Rodolfo’s first impression of Mimì trying very in poor health made sense.
For the 9 performances on this run, Theater Bremen fielded two solid members every for the principle characters of Mimì, Musetta, and the 4 artists, with totally different mixes and matches in order that solely two performances had been scheduled with the identical solid throughout roles. Oliver Sewell sang Rodolfo with a sturdy, elegant and completely nice voice, most comfortable with the louder materials, whereas growing mezza voce for extra nuanced use sooner or later. Throughout ‘Che gelida manina’, he positioned himself noticeably bodily in preparation for the excessive notice on speranza. Whereas the lead-up to that uncovered excessive notice was not fairly clear, he held the notice itself steadily for an admirably very long time. Adèle Lorenzi as Mimì had a really robust and fantastically expressed decrease and center register, suggesting a mezzo-soprano voice. The upper register was rather less constant: fluent strains and mellifluous sounds had been interrupted by considerably brittle moments. Though she minimize the excessive C quick on the finish of ‘O soave fanciulla’, altogether hers was a really transferring and interesting portrayal of the position.
Jelena Banković was appropriately energetic as Musetta, whereas additionally permitting us to see the character’s depth beneath the apparently superficial floor. Her voice was agile and glowing. Michal Partyka, Arvid Fagerfjäll, Jasin Rammal-Rykala as Marcello, Schaunard and Colline, respectively, offered superb particular person research of their artist characters. Sasha Yankevych led the orchestra joyfully via the emotional ups and downs of Puccini’s rating, whereas various quantity and tempi in response to the singers’ particular person wants.
Daniel Meyer-Dinkgräfe
