Puccini's "La Boheme," staged by Nickel City Opera, drew a big crowd Friday night, bigger than any crowd I have seen so far for any of this company's admirable productions. The audience, which even included small children, seemed to fill the picturesque Riviera Theater.
Nickel City Opera put the drama in just the right bohemian light.
The costumes - some of them from the Martin Scorcese movie "Gangs of New York" - were rich with deep reds, blues and greens. The men's look could be called 19th century casual: coats, cravats, floppy hats. The sets made you feel as if you were looking into a misty past. The garret was picturesquely poor, the street scenes were full of color, and the snow scenes were impressive, even to a Buffalonian who knows her snow. I loved one glorious purple sky.
The supertitles were smaller than any supertitles I have ever seen. I heard complaints from people who could not read them. Otherwise, though, the opera delivered.
Adam Klein, as the handsome poet Rudolfo, and Aaron St. Clair Nicholson, as Marcello, have the kind of clear and strong voices that dominate the hall. Their stage experience shows in how they project not only emotion but humor. Humor is so important to the atmosphere of "La Boheme"; a joke cannot ever be far away.
Mariateresa Magisano is a fine Mimi, affecting without being maudlin. She is a winner of the Metropolitan Opera National Council auditions, and her voice had an affecting purity and innocence. And strength: You almost had to smile later in the opera when she was supposed to be dying of tuberculosis, and out come these uncompromising high notes. I don't know how a singer finds a way around that.
Jena Abati was excellent as Musetta. I met her dad at the popcorn counter and he told me she is just 19. In this role, her youth works in her favor. She is lovely, her light soprano voice is beautiful, and she did what you are supposed to do as Musetta: Make everyone look at you. Her treatment of "Musetta's Waltz" was a kick.
It was a pleasure to see NCO executive director Valerian Ruminski on stage as the philosopher Colline. The last scene aria, when he plans to pawn his coat, showed off that mighty bass voice. James Wright Jr. was a pleasure as the musician Schaunard. Russian bass Mikhail Svetlov, a Bolshoi Opera soloist and a friend of Ruminski's from the Met, offers great comic relief as Benoit, the landlord, and Alcindoro, Musetta's spurned suitor. He is a great addition to the cast.
The orchestra, conducted by Michael Ching, was on the dodgy side. Though the ensemble followed the singers well, there were problems with the individual instrumentalists.
But as a whole, this was a sweet and satisfying "Boheme."
Director Dieter Kaegi gave the opera good human touches and kept it moving. As in all NCO productions, it pays to keep your eyes open. In the last scene, as Mimi is dying at center stage, my eyes strayed to the right, and I spied Musetta peeking at Marcello's painting in progress. Is it of her?
She gives him a look and he shoots her an impatient look back, before turning back to Mimi's deathbed. That subtle little exchange rang true.
As does everything else in "La Boheme," even after all these years.
La Boheme
Presented by Nickel City Opera Friday night and Sunday afternoon, Riviera Theatre, 67 Webster St., North Tonawanda.
