Federica Lombardi headlines the Met's latest Bohème revival

Federica Lombardi (Mimì) and Matthew Polenzani (Rodolfo)

Café Momus, Act 2

Matthew Polenzani, Federica Lombardi, Adam Plachetka (Marcello) and Olga Kulchynska (Musetta)

Matthew Polenzani (Rodolfo) and Federica Lombardi (Mimì)

Adam Plachetka (Marcello) and Matthew Polenzani (Rodolfo)

By Kevin W Ng, 11 October 2023

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“Mimì’s high, soaring lines... gave her gleaming lyric soprano the opportunity to bloom”

Reviewed at Lincoln Center: Metropolitan Opera House, New York City on 10 October 2023

Puccini, La bohème

Metropolitan Opera

Carlo Rizzi, Conductor

Franco Zeffirelli, Director, Set Designer

Peter J. Hall, Costume Designer

Gil Wechsler, Lighting Designer

The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra

The Metropolitan Opera Chorus

Federica Lombardi, Mimì

Matthew Polenzani, Rodolfo

Adam Plachetka, Marcello

Olga Kulchynska, Musetta

Sean Michael Plumb, Schaunard

Christian Van Horn, Colline

Donald Maxwell, Benoît, Alcindoro

Asmik Grigorian strengthens the Met’s revival of Eugene Onegin

Susan Stempleski, 20th April

The Lithuanian soprano’s riveting performance as the central character in Tchaikovsky’s operatic masterpiece lights up Deborah Warner’s mostly bland production.

****1

Innocence: Saariaho’s final opera receives New York premiere

Kurt Gottschalk, 6th April

At the Metropolitan Opera, Innocence proves a gripping and perhaps divisive piece which feels real because it is a reflection of our reality, with no realistic hope of finding peace.

*****

Tristan und Isolde at the Met: staging gets in the way of the music

No’a L. bat Miri, 9th March

Michael Spyres shines in his debut as Tristan alongside powerhouse soprano Lise Davidsen as Isolde in Yuval Sharon's new, beguiling production at the Metropolitan Opera.

***11

Ailyn Pérez is the perfect Butterfly in the Met’s revival

Robert Levine, 13th January

Good Butterflys are not that difficult to come by but great ones are very very rare. Ailyn Pérez fits the bill in this revival of Anthony Minghella’s classic staging.

*****

Vocal thrills in Met’s traditional staging of Bellini’s I puritani

Susan Stempleski, 31st December

Marco Armiliato conducts a finely balanced rendition of Bellini's final masterpiece with a stellar cast headed by Lisette Oropesa and Lawrence Brownlee.

*****

Porgy and Bess returns stronger than ever at the Met

Robert Levine, 7th December

Back to Catfish Row for another revival of The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess and James Robinson’s show continue to wow our writer.

*****

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Kevin W Ng

Kevin writes about music and culture, with a focus on opera. Originally trained as a violinist, he has a particular interest in 20th-century music. He is currently based in New York City.