A holiday Bohème: Puccini, Zeffirelli and tradition in Vienna

Juan Diego Flórez (Rodolfo)

Juan Diego Flórez (Rodolfo) and Nicole Car (Mimì)

Anna Bondarenko (Musetta) and Andrey Zhilikhovsky (Marcello)

By Laura Servidei, 22 December 2025

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“like a glass of hot Glühwein at the Christmas market nearby”

Reviewed at Wiener Staatsoper, Vienna on 21 December 2025

Puccini, La bohème

Vienna State Opera

Giacomo Sagripanti, Conductor

Franco Zeffirelli, Director, Set Designer

Marcel Escoffier, Costume Designer

Orchestra of the Vienna State Opera

Concert Association Vienna State Opera Chorus

Nicole Car, Mimì

Juan Diego Flórez, Rodolfo

Andrey Zhilikhovsky, Marcello

Anna Bondarenko, Musetta

Jusung Gabriel Park, Schaunard

Ivo Stanchev, Colline

Hans Peter Kammerer, Benoît, Alcindoro

Benjamin Harasko, Customs Officer

At half mast: Simon Boccanegra revived in Vienna

Orsolya Gyárfás, 19th April

Marco Armiliato’s conducting thrills and Federica Lombardi's radiant Amelia stands out in the Wiener Staatsoper’s latest revival of Simon Boccanegra.

***11

Anna Netrebko shines in Vienna’s timeless Tosca

Laura Servidei, 18th April

In a world where opera productions often stray into the abstract, the Wiener Staatsoper’s Tosca offers a refreshing return to tradition – and Anna Netrebko delivers a splendid performance.

****1

Tragedy in the mirror: Minghella’s Madama Butterfly in Vienna

Laura Servidei, 14th March

Ermonela Jaho returns to one of her signature roles as Cio-Cio-San, delivering a searing and deeply nuanced portrayal.

****1

Too much and too little: Jan Lauwers’ restless Clemenza in Vienna

Chanda VanderHart, 12th March

The creative team behind the new Staatsoper Clemenza is unwilling to trust that Mozart’s opera is interesting enough to stand on its own.

***11

An Idomeneo shattered to pieces at the Wiener Staatsoper

Orsolya Gyárfás, 23rd January

A committed cast struggles to lend a spark of life to Kasper Holten's static staging of Mozart's first mature opera.

**111

Stikhina, Tézier and Tetelman outstanding in classic Vienna Tosca

Mark Pullinger, 20th September

It may be on its 663rd outing, but Margarethe Wallmann's Tosca is a classic for a reason, as proved in this outstanding performance at the Wiener Staatsoper.

*****

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Laura Servidei

Mathematician, science nerd, translator of popular science books, obsessed opera fan since the teen years. Day job: business analyst in a software house developing systems for the financial industry. Amateur choral singer. Main musical interests: baroque music and Italian opera. Originally from Italy, currently based in Sweden. I make a mean eggplant parmesan.

A holiday Bohème: Puccini, Zeffirelli and the enduring power of tradition in Vienna