Puccini - La Boheme / Neil Shicoff, Ileana Cotrubas, Thomas Allen, Marilyn Zschau, Gwynne Howell, Lamberto Gardelli, Covent Garden Opera

Five stars for the production - a truly exquisite cast (I've adored Ileana Cortubas ever since experiencing the Glyndebourne dream cast version of Le Nozze di Figaro.) However, there is a caveat regarding subtitles. I don't know if it's something universal for opera dvds or just Kultur video productions (I didn't have this issue with the aforementioned Arthaus Musik dvd.) And it's really only a minor cavil, since I'm not an opera buff just an enthusiastic neophyte. My problem was that the subtitles were insufficient - sometimes they were there, sometimes they weren't. Sure, they don't need to translate every "Buon Giorno" since we can all pretty much understand that. But there were whole passages which were omitted. It can be argued that it's for the music which we watch and enjoy opera(which we do!), but it helps us newbies if we can also know (rather than infer) what's being sung. As this was my first time ever watching a full production of "La Boheme", I found this marginally distracting (though, thanks to the superb acting ability of the entire cast[as mentioned by several other reviewers], linguistic incomprehension was vitiated by the visual aids of the actors' gestures and facial expressions.)Definitely recommended on all counts, but those inexperienced opera viewers or anyone not fluent in Italian should be forewarned and may want to have a translated libretto on hand while watching this.

WOW! I just finished viewing this fabulous opera.La Boheme has long been a favorite opera of mine. I cut my operateeth on the Von Karajan reading showcasing His Highness Luciano Pavoratti & Mirella Freni. I didn't think anythingcould better that monumental effort.I must confess I was wrong.There are the technical issues other reviewers havenoted. Ghost images and such.The scenic designer deserves their kudos because they accomplished what the opera callsfor.Rusticness was in abundance.I half expected a mouse to run across the floor of the garrett in Act 1.Benoit should have been reported to the Housing Authority. Guess that's what landlords can get away with when you don'tpay your rent. I shudder to think what Mimi's place looked like! Ileana Cotrubas was born to play this role. Physically,she is the Mimi & Gilda not the Traviata & Manon.Herperformance I find difficult to put into words. She wraps each note with so much beauty one can hardly stand it.Perhaps,because of her reputation of being difficult, she knew that she always had to bring her "A" game.She couldnever phone it in. Not that she ever would.Her coyness & elation in the role establish her,to me, as the greatestacting opera singer ,bar none.The role will never be sung and acted better. Neil Shicoff was a wonderful Rodolfo.Singly and when paired with Ms.Cotrubas, he was magnificent!His,too,is aninstrument beyond compare.The supporting cast is stellar. This is the definitive La Boheme on film.Puccini wouldbe very proud indeed. A must for every collection!

This Royal Opera La Boheme is sterling in every way. Shicoff and Cotrubas are complete musicians first and foremost, and the singing is unconquerable. Neil Shicoff is one of the great tenors of his or any musical age, and his unfailing musicianship makes his singing beautiful beyond many others of more fabled estate. Perhaps no other singer (except Caballe and Ludwig) was more loved by orchestral musicians than Ileana Cotrubas, in equal measure for her impeccable musicianship and an unforgettable voice that carries a glow of tragedy deep in its emerald sound. She's a perfect verismo singer, though curiously few acknowledge it. With Cotrubas nothing is exaggerated, nothing out of pulse; she invests it all in actually singing, eschewing 'showing us' her singing - an unfortunately prevalent malaise. Thomas Allen's Marcello is bright and ardent, &the leaving scene with Rodolfo works up some vocal fire. Zschau exerts herself as Musetta, but not without delight. Gardelli marshals the Covent Garden forces with typical Royal Opera understatement and gets a huge ovation at the end. A traditionally staged Boheme recommended with passion to just about everybody. The singing's exceptionally bracing and beautiful. Cotrubas' revealing death scene can change your mind about Puccini. I think the VHS version has better sound, but the DVD is fine. I urge you to give this production a hearing.

THIS IS AS GOOD AS IT GETS. BRIAN LARGE DOES A SUPERB DIRECTING JOB IN A 1982 COVENT GARDEN LA BOHEME WHICH BRINGS TOGETHER AS GOOD A GROUP OF SINGING ACTORS AS ONE WILL FIND WITHIN PERFECTLY DESIGNED SETS TO MAKE FOR AN OPERA IN WHICH EVERY MOMENT IS ALIVE WITH THE APPROPRIATE EMOTIONS. IT WOULD BE PILING IT ON, SO TO SPEAK, TO DETAIL THE STRENGTHS OF EACH PARTICIPANT BUT ONE MUST MENTION THAT ILEANA COTRUBAS MAKES EVERY WORD, SPOKEN AND SUNG, AN INTIMATE PART OF HER CHARACTERIZATION, NEIL SHICOFF, THEN QUITE NEW TO THE OPERA GAME, USES HIS VOICE BEAUTIFULLY TO CREATE VOCAL CHARACTER RATHER THAN SIMPLE GYMNASTICS, MARILYN ZSCHAU, FULFILLS THE VERY DIFFICULT ROLE REQUIREMENT THAT MUSETTA BE A COQUETTE WITH A HEART OF GOLD, AND, SO FOR EACH, ACTING AND SINGING ARE MARRIED TO A DEGREE ONLY FOUND AMONG THE BEST PRODUCTIONS. IT IS A LESSON IN WHAT WE MEAN BY MODERN OPERA, WHETHER FANTASY OR REALISM, EVERY EXPRESSION OF MUSIC, SONG, PHYSICAL MOVEMENT, SETTING IS HARMONIZED TO FURTHER APPREHENSION AND APPRECIATION OF THE OPERA'S UNDERLYING THEME, ITS REASON FOR BEING, ITS ELAN VITAL.HIGHLY RECOMMENDED FOR THE BEGINNING AND THE VETERAN OPERA LOVER.

An older production of this oft seen, and oft recorded, classic. A collector's item.

I have been been to many Bohemes since 1950 and saw the Covent Garden production recorded here in London with Aragall instead of Shicoff. My at home listening encompases many recordings from Toscanini's to present day Dvd's. This is a great Boheme!!! The sound is a drop perhaps echoey, but is not disqualifying. Cortrubas IS Mimi. Shicoff is a lyrical but rich voiced Rudolfo. A young Thomas Allen is wonderful as Marcello. The Musetta is very special. Don't let this one get away!!