top of page

HAVE YOUR          SAY.....

Whether you agree or disagree with our critics, we welcome  your comments and will try to include them at the end of the review. 

Please use our contact form 

Love in Bohemia

  • Writer: Ann Cee
    Ann Cee
  • May 1
  • 1 min read
The company of La Boheme. Photo courtesy of WAC.
The company of La Boheme. Photo courtesy of WAC.

Ellen Kent: La Boheme. With the Ukrainian Opera and Ballet Theatre, Butterworth Hall, Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry. On Wednesday 30 April 2025 for one night only.

Review by Ann Cee


Bone aching love pulled at the heart strings last night as the poet, Rodolfo (Davit Sumbadze) and gentle seamstress, Mimi (Elena Dee) met and fell head over heels in love in a freezing attic after her candle blew out.  Chilling poverty and illness poke at their lives at every turn, despite their very best efforts to work hard and live their best lives.


Central to their lives are their joyful, artistic friends Musetta (Viktoriia Melnyk), Marcello (Iurie Gisca), Schaunard (Vitalii Cebotari), Colline (Valeriu Cojocaru) and Benoit the landlord (Eugeniu Ganea) who are all determined to live in the moment and enjoy their occasional good fortune.


Mimi and Rodolfo. Photo courtesy of WAC.
Mimi and Rodolfo. Photo courtesy of WAC.

After the poignancy and moonlit intensity of romance of Act 1, it was great fun to experience the colourful street scene with the various eccentric local characters and entertainers.  With children running about getting into mischief and a fabulous little dog, Milo, turning circles and delighting with little tricks, the chaotic rowdiness of the crowd scenes brought the Paris Latin Quarter of the 1830s to our doorstep.


Ukrainian Opera and Ballet Theatre. Photo courtesy of WAC.


The live orchestra, conducted by Vasyl Vasylenko, expertly steered Pucinni’s story through the intensification of emotions until the tragic finale.


Discover more at Warwick Arts Centre: https://www.warwickartscentre.co.uk/


Comments

bottom of page