Last Friday, The Dallas Opera (TDO) opened Puccini’s La bohème at the Winspear Opera House. This marks the final stage production of the season for TDO with three more performances this week. On Wednesday, TDO offers a little something extra for its LGBTQ audience.
TDO’s Crescendo program, which gives focus to its audience and individuals ages 21-45, will host its Opera Out Loud mixer geared toward all LGBTQ opera fans this week.
The show precedes TDO’s excellent production of La bohème which also marks TDO’s 11th staging of the opera since 1961.
Directed by Tomer Zvulun, La bohème was an exciting production from start to finish that ran the gamut of comic and tragic emotions. I’ve often been told Tosca is a good gateway to opera, but I’d argue that La bohème may be more suited to that.
A quad of downtrodden artistic friends or bohemians find comfort and warmth in each other at their freezing up-high flat in 1830s Paris. Marchello, Rodolfo, Colline and Schaunard all celebrate Christmas Eve with chatter before a night out. Rodolfo stays behind and meets the neighbor Mimi whose candle had gone out. Later, they all connect with Marcello’s ex Musetta at the club. Later, as Rodolfo’s fear of commitment kicks in, Mimi has become fatally ill and the group of friends rally to save her.
If all this sounds a bit familiar, then you’ve probably seen Rent.
As the four friends, the actors were perfect as a tight-knit brotherly bunch. The chemistry felt genuine and each performance had that youthful energy of 20-something arty hipsters. Bekhzod Davronov was a charming lead as Rodolfo and fit well with Sylvia E. Eramo who delivered a delicate and captivating Mimi in her TDO debut. The scene of their meeting was magical and Davronov’s voice beautifully filled the house in the aria “Che gelida manina.” Eramo replied with the alluring “Sì, mi chiamano Mimì.”
As Marcello, Takaoko Onishi played the part with a sturdy earnestness that declared both his strong friendship to Rodolfo and contrast to Musetta’s fun and flirty personality played dynamically by Emily Pogorelc. Both make their TDO debuts in this production.
Now by no means am I an opera expert, but this production’s structure and pacing felt like exciting theater. Zvulun’s direction injected the show with a vibrant power. Erhard Rom’s sets certainly helped with this vibe from the drab but delightful flat that bookended the show to the gorgeous Cafe Momus with its striking colors mixed with the late Peter J. Hall’s costume designs that are still used today. Music Director and Conductor Emmanuel Villaume played with a tempo that felt fresh and contemporary.
For those seeing La bohème after Opera Out Loud, TDO’s production delivers a wonderful punch.
And if you’re not catching the show on Wednesday night, Opera Out Loud is open to all LGBTQ folks and no commitment is required to attend the performance. All guests must be over 21. And if you decide to check out La bohème, go to The Dallas Opera site and use the promo code Pride 30. After Wednesday, performances will be held Saturday evening and Sunday afternoon.
The mixer is at 6:30-7:15 p.m. in the PNC Lounge at the Winspear and the show starts at 7:30 p.m.
–Rich Lopez
