Opera San José's La Bohème

* Notes * 
La Bohème (Kearstin Piper Brown and WooYoung Yoon pictured in Act IV, photograph by David Allen) closed at Opera San José last weekend with a youthful cast and beautiful singing. The traditional production doesn't make for the smoothest transitions but looks very nice.

The scenic design, from Kim A. Tolman, completely looks like Paris in the 1840s and Alina Bokovikova's costumes are attractive, but were perhaps from a later time period. The set is somewhat clunky, and we waited a long time between Acts I and II, plus there were two intermissions rather than just the one in the middle. Directed by Michelle Ainna Cuizon, the action kept to the libretto and seemed perfectly sensible. This would have made a very nice first opera outing.

Conducted by Johannes Löhner, the orchestra had issues with staying together, despite Puccini's forgiving score it was obvious when the musicians did not start at the same time.

The young singers looked very appropriate for their roles. Bass Younggwang Park makes for a dashing Colline, he seemed slightly quiet from the stage, but was extremely loud when he sang from the audience at the end of Act I. He did his Act IV aria from the balcony of the garret, and this was favorable to his voice, he did well. Bass-baritone Jesús Vincente Murillo was occasionally underpowered as Schaunard also, but is a fine actor. Bass-baritone Philip Skinner was great as both Benoît and Alcindoro, his voice is strong and he clearly differentiated  his two characters.

Soprano Melissa Sondhi is very funny and fiery as Musetta, her Act II aria was lovely and her fighting with Marcello in Act III made for a good contrast with the principal couple of the opera. Her sound is sweet and warm. Baritone Kidon Choi (Marcello) was singing even though he was ill, but I would have never known if it hadn't been announced before the performance. Choi has a cheery disposition that works a lot better for this role than for Scarpia, which he sang from this stage last year.

Tenor WooYoung Yoon has a bright, almost brassy sound as Rodolfo. Best of all was certainly soprano Kearstin Piper Brown as Mimì. She has such a pure radiance, a silvery tone without any harshness.

Tattling * 
The audience was very engaged. We sat behind the baritone Efraín Solís, whom many patrons wished to speak to. The music director was slightly late in getting to his seat before the last act, and ran across the space in front of the first row right before the music started.

There was a service dog who shook himself out at least three times during the first third of the performance and made quite a lot of noise doing so. Thankfully whatever tags that had been jingling were either removed or muffled for the rest of the time.