Absolutely brilliant

One of the most extraordinary films you will see this year. Take that as you want.

Blistering performances.

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

This is definitely not a production for traditionalists.Rodolfo and Mimi have sex after finding her key, before joining the others at the Café Momus.From the beginning, Mimi is dressed like a harlot -- in red, with plunging décolleté, large exposed breasts, and bright red lipstick.The set colors in general are loud and bright, sets are incongruous, and the cinematography is grossly oversaturated in an almost cartoonish fashion.It might fly with the iPhone generation and the sex-obsessed, but I'd bet Puccini is turning over in his grave.

As some people may know, I am a huge fan of opera and classical music. And I am a huge fan of La Boheme, so I wanted to see this naturally. And I thought overall it was beautiful. My only complaint was the sound, some of it sounded a bit off and lazy particularly in the middle of Che Glenida Manina, at first I wasn't sure whether it was the sound or whether it was Villazon trying to be even more delicate than he was being- anyone who's seen him before will know he does have quite an eccentric, passionate and exciting presence particularly when he's talking about singing and opera.Other than that, I loved this production of La Boheme. It's not the best(I remember the 1988 production with Mirella Freni and Luciano Pavarotti with such fondness), but it doesn't try to be. On its own, it is a very solid performance of a beautiful opera. The production values are wonderful. The photography has some interesting angles that don't jar, while the sets, lighting and costumes are very pleasing to the eye.Puccini's music is amazing. It is an incredibly lyrical and poignant score, with some of the most breathtakingly beautiful tunes in the history of opera, particularly Mimi's Act 1 aria and the Act 3 duet, both of which bring a lump to my throat always(and it did here too). I also cannot hold back my tears during Act 4, knowing what is going to happen at the end just has me in floods, and here it did do that.La Boheme while heart-rending does also have one or two humorous spots. Particularly in Act 2, primarily Musetta's entrance and Marcello's reactions to her and the men's shock over the expensive bill. The story is beautifully constructed and never feels forced or superficial.The performances are top drawer. Anna Netrebko is a stunning Mimi, she is in beautiful voice, she looks beautiful, here her stage presence feels natural and understated and she really moved me in Act 4. Rolando Villazon is a pleasant surprise. Although the sound does him little favour, Villazon does do what he can to give a delicate acting performance as well as using his powerful voice to the limits without overdoing it too much. Nicole Cabell is a sheer delight as Musetta, and really holds her own, she is deliciously flirty, charming and seductive in Quando M'en Vo, yet in Act 4 we see a completely different side to Musetta that we don't expect as here she is more humble and sensitive. Marcello and Colline also perform well, and the dubbing actually doesn't distract.Overall, beautiful version that could have been even better had the sound been more than it was. If you haven't seen it before, or any other version of La Boheme, have a box of tissues at the ready, I think you'll need them. 9/10 Bethany Cox

Some things were really excellent about this movie. The production and mimicry of Paris was superb. All scenes in the movie beautifully constructed, giving a correct pacing for the actors to have enough space to create their roles.The colour superb.Netrebko as always fine, but lacking in the bloom of her voice. I have heard her many times before on DVD, and it seems to me the sound engineer put a hard edge on her voice. Her acting is superb and it was finally nice to see the role interpreted as though Mimi was a mature woman and not some girlish female fingering her clothing is some coy way as Georghiu does in the met DVD production. Both woman I mention in this paragraph are stunning. Netrebko comes off tops because of her portrayal.Villazon's voice , and he is not to blame loses its line because of a faulty sound engineers inability to keep the voice in focus and at the right forte, as in the example of his top C in Che Gelida Manina, where it seems to drop off in volume and tone. He also does not sing his mezza voce where it is called for in the score. As usual his acting is contrived and over the top, with flailing arms and hands touching his face and head in place of honest acting. He is not a very pleasant looking singer to watch in the way he has been trained to use his mouth.The other men are fine actors and the behind the scene voices were admirable.Musetta was fabulous and a real scene stealer in the café scene. She looked good. Her acting was great, and her voice was very fine for the role. I really liked her.On the whole I will not watch this production again, as for me, in opera it is the voice which is the most important. Here I blame the sound engineer.When I listen to La Boheme again, it will be the Met production with Vargas and Ghiorghiu - or the earlier recording of Teresa Stratas and Jose Carreras. Now this is a Mimi and Rudolpho, and although an older recording, you see and hear two artists in their prime.

I loved this Boheme and I would have given it the full marks apart from two unforgivable problems. The direction dramatises the opera while never fully straying from the original staging; however the audience, instead of being fixed are taken onto, and around the stage. This opens the drama to subtle interpretations and allows the directions to expand, as in O Soave Fancuilla where there is considerable action outside the apartment. For the most part this worked beautifully. Where it worked to some effect was in allowing Netrebko to display her considerable talents.Now I have two rules regarding Puccini. Firstly, his soprano must be believable although she is larger than life. If she is not a diva, she is a homicidal nut case, or an utter bitch. In Boheme she is the girl you just cannot help falling in love with- just forget it -you are smitten. The second rule is that the singers must be Puccini singers they must have a strong vocal line so they can simply surf the waves of his glorious melodies. Netrebko brings the whole package and more, If you do not love this Mimi I am sorry for you. She sings beautifully, her line is strong, not powerful as in say De los Angeles. She also is aware of the production in that her singing is quite intimate. She is singing for the audience alongside her not up in the gods. The performance is correct for the medium she is in. Quite simply she is a star, a treasure. The Director took a little risk in Marcello,Colline, and Shaunard in that he hired actors to perform and they mimed the voices of the singers. Don't look for a Merrill or a Warren here, but what you do get is the most believable bunch of mates I've ever seen in Boheme. Nicole Cabell is Musetta, I personally found her more than adequate and along side Netrebko that must be good. I don't know where she found her inspiration for this role, but it must be a small world because I know this character. I did not like Villazon in this role which is a shame because his acting was good I didn't even mind his lapses into Mr Bean because it seemed to fit into his place in the company of his mates. His voice is good it has a warm colour to it; it isn't powerful but it should be more than adequate, unfortunately it seems to lack strength, in Che gelida manina he is fine until l'anima millionaria and from there, strength, not power is required; the line must hold the melody. Netrebko shows how it is done in her following aria; the line follows the melody with vowels, consonants and colour being applied with lightest of touches. He is good in the second act and again in the third until Dunque proprio finita and then again not enough strength to hold the line.One star lost for the tenor; the other lost star baffles me, This is an Opera, not just any opera, most peoples favourite, I possess six versions. I want to hear the music and the singing there is no excuse for putting out an opera with sound faults, I tried changing amplifiers, speakers, and finally a different system, all gave the same sound break-up so I thought I had a rubbish DVD until I find others have the same problem. So there it is two stars lost and nearly a point off a third - what in the name of god is that thing on Marcellos easel, its supposed to be his masterpiece which he flogs as an inn sign when money is short. I spite of everything I loved this, the production works wonderfully and it has Netrebko and that should be enough for you to want this.