After a rather daring repertory experiments - a little-known "Jewess" Halevy and operas of the twentieth century "Katie Kabanova Janacek (which in itself is dangerous to the box office), the management of the theater audience threw paint" bone ", which is comparable only to that of" La Traviata "and" Carmen "- stunningly beautiful operatic melodrama of Puccini's La Boheme." Directed by Bernard Arnault, has already declared himself in St. Petersburg staging of "Jewess", delivered as a set designer and as a lighting designer. And in each of these features proved to be resourceful and talented. The most important thing - Bernard has demonstrated that the director's delights can be implemented without contradicting the libretto, without changing the meaning of the author's stories and not imposing on it some sort of its own. So if the dying Mimi asks you to bring her sleeve, then bring it the clutch, rather than a heating pad. And when Musetta offers her boyfriend to give her other shoes, then there appear shoes, not fins and tarpaulin boots. Plastic solutions mass episodes when the actors in the peripheral scenes freeze into immobility, making it possible to shift attention on the central stage setting, reminiscent of the musical techniques that were organically for puchchinievskih operas, especially "La Boheme." Bernard-set designer, along with the creator of costumes Carla Ricotta arrayed all the elements of a black and white with a predominance of various shades of gray. It's not even old movies, but rather black and white television, which sometimes glows blue tone of the TV screen. Looks particularly impressive in the color scheme of the tricolor French flag: white, gray and dark gray.
The cast even the cast - and minor and major characters are convincing and charismatic. Perhaps you can find fault with some inaccuracies Eugene Nagovitsin (Rudolf), but this young singer, so correctly and competently managed with his voice that it becomes clear: he is still ahead. Charming Natalia Mironova in the party as Musetta; very successfully proved himself Boris Pinhasovich (Marseille). Mary Litke at Mimi showed a strong and beautiful voice, it is a pity that the singer abused "swing" on the top notes. But on the whole musical side of the play, perhaps even stronger than staged. Peter Feranets - Music Director and conductor - has manifested itself in this work is very interesting and unbanal. It is adequately conveyed going wild expression of the score, while never sinned against good taste and special puchchinievskoy style, which seemed to be a traditional romantic language is wonderfully combined with a musical mentality of the twentieth century.
The events of the first act did not occur in the attic, as it were, over the attic: the roof, threw the crumpled paper - whether Advent snow, or the fruits of creative heroes. In the final scene of the death of Mimi instead of white paper will be "a million red roses" - a huge amount of red flowers that fill the huge stage. And the petals fall on the shoulders of the red rain sorrow slain heroes. Maybe someone does seem vulgar "American Beauty", but in combination with a very strong light solution (another status Arnaud Bernard), which dominates the expressive backlight, and powerful music, this simple and beautiful course runs on all hundred.
MK 04.06.2011