"La Boheme" is probably Puccini's most perfect opera, according to conductor Anton Coppola. At the very least, it is the perfect opera to introduce people to opera.
"If you're going to introduce anybody to opera — even children — take them to 'La Boheme' because it never fails to affect everyone who witnesses it, emotionally," Coppola said. "It has a very special human quality that never fails."
"La Boheme" revolves around the love story between the sickly Mimi and the poet Rodolfo, weaving in the on-again, off-again romance between Musetta and Marcello, as well as other characters who interact.
In addition to being one of the most universal and popular operas, "La Boheme" also has the distinction of being the first opera produced by Utah Opera 25 years ago. Back then, it featured Glade Peterson in the leading role of Rodolfo and Ardean Watts as conductor.
This time around, maestro Coppola will take the baton, with Cynthia Clayton singing the role of Mimi, Marc Heller as Rodolfo, Gary Lehman as Marcello and
Suzanne Ramo as Musetta. Laurie Feldman will direct the production.
"It's the essence of Italian opera," said Clayton. "Every bar of the opera is a jewel. The piece is really like a distillation of a four-hour opera. It's like four hours condensed down to two-and-a-half. It's got all the stuff you'd have in a four-hour opera, but it's like the Reader's Digest version. It's got the important bits, but there's nothing extraneous, nothing you don't need."
According to those involved with this production, both Coppola and Feldman are doing all they can to make sure it is faithful to Puccini's original vision. "Maestro Coppola knows the piece," said Clayton. "He doesn't conduct from a score; he conducts from memory because he's done it — I assume — a zillion times. And even though I've done the piece several times, he's found places where I make mistakes out of his memory."
Feldman agrees. "I think this maestro is one of the best conductors of this piece ever. He has incredible richness to contribute. He has a lot of things to say about the music. It's a fantastic experience to work with him. He's very extremely exacting and very disciplined and really insists on great things."
Feldman and Coppola agreed on a traditional adaptation of the work and in the course of preparing for the opera have established a mutual appreciation for each other. Clayton pointed out that although the vision of the work is traditional, it's not stodgy. "I've done many 'Bohemes.' I don't know exactly how many Mimis and Musettas, and there are certain things that always happen.
"But she (Feldman) has come up with some new ideas. She thinks very hard about the piece. She does a very young take on it — doesn't let these people become too adult and responsible and all those things that we are in our everyday lives, and it's wonderful."
Feldman attributes much of the freshness to the cast. "We've had so much fun in these rehearsals. The cast has been so generous. They're so full of fantasy and imagination, and thinking, feeling at every moment, giving 100 percent all of the time. I just love it. You just feel in rehearsal like you're in paradise. It's a wonderful kind of high."
Although this production marks the Utah Opera debut for both Clayton and Heller, they have both had experience playing their respective "La Boheme" roles before. In fact, Heller will be playing Rodolfo in four separate productions of "La Boheme" during the 2002-2003 season.
Coppola praised the cast for its youth, enthusiasm and "top-notch" vocal abilities. "They're all very young and good-looking, so that's an attractive plus. We don't have to bend our imagination to think that those two lovers are what they are, when we're faced with two very heavy people or not especially attractive people. These happen to be especially very good-looking people and young, and so even their attitude is fresh and youthful and very attractive."
What: Puccini's "La Boheme"
Where: Capitol Theatre
When: 7:30 p.m., Jan. 18, 20, 22, 24; 2 p.m. matinee Jan. 26
How much: $14-$65
Phone: 355-2787 or 1-888-451-2787
Web: www.arttix.org
Additional information: Sung in Italian, with English supertitles
Additional performance
Where: Val A. Browning Center, Ogden
When: 7:30 p.m., Jan. 29
Phone: 801-399-9214
E-mail: rhoward@desnews.com