5 Sep 2018

La Boheme – the greatest romantic opera of all

From Upbeat, 1:00 pm on 5 September 2018

New Zealand Opera’s production of La Bohème opens next week in Auckland before traveling to Wellington.

Marlena Devoe

Marlena Devoe Photo: Supplied

One of the most recognizable operas around, Puccini’s masterpiece touches on themes of youth, love and heartbreak.

It’s been influential on popular culture and was the inspiration behind the musical Rent and Baz Luhrmann’s film Moulin Rouge.

Tenor Thomas Atkins

Tenor Thomas Atkins Photo: Supplied

Although it polarized critics when it first opened in the 1896, La Bohème has gone on to be one of the greatest operatic romances of all time.

Some exciting and accomplished young New Zealand singers have come back to star in the production directed by Jacqueline Coats … among them Thomas Atkins, Marlena Devoe, Julien Van Mellaerts, and Amelia Berry.

Thomas plays Rodolfo a poet, who falls madly in love with Mimì, a beautiful seamstress played by Marlena. But is love enough?

Thomas and Marlena joined us in the Auckland studio