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While opera may seem too high-brow even for theatergoers, watching one can be quite an experience. Though the language barrier can be a problem, nothing compares to hearing a diva singing the sweetest arias live and without the aid of microphones.

I had my first (and somewhat informal) exposure to opera when I watched a rehearsal of the local production of La Boheme two days before it opens tonight at the Cultural Center of the Philippines. If you'd like to watch an opera for the first time, Puccini's widely known opera may be a good one to start with since it was the inspiration for the more familiar RENT by Jonathan Larson, which ended its 12-season run on Broadway just last month.

La Boheme was not called "the greatest love song ever sung" for nothing. Focusing on the passionate love between the poet Rodolfo and the seamstress Mimi, the opera manages to tell the rise and fall of a love story that begins with a playful search for a key in the dark to its near-impossible end, made possible only by death. Rodolfo and Mimi, two starving artists in a 19th century Parisian bohemia (set in modern day Manila for this production), embody the idea of co-dependent relationship, where neither can live with and without the other. Director Floy Quintos even called Act 3 probably the longest goodbye scene ever.

 

La Boheme was not called "the greatest love song ever sung" for nothing

With a timeless classic like La Boheme, where we expect little comprehension of the language (which is purely in Italian), the cast's performance can spell the difference. We were lucky to have witnessed Gary del Rosario, one of the youngest Filipino tenors to make waves overseas, rehearsing his role as Rodolfo (which he has done five times in different opera houses) and heard how his voice overpowered the orchestra. It was also amazing to see how Jennifer Uy as Mimi rose to Puccini's challenge of making her sing her "death song" in bed, propped only by a back rest. At first sight, Ana Feleo as Musetta is the image of the typical opera diva: intimidating and fierce-looking (yet she is actually friendly). We later witnessed her effortless singing and remarkable stage presence.

The staging of the Manila-based La Boheme is also fascinating. Rodolfo and Marcello's shabby top-floor flat overlooks the Manila skyline through a projected image of the city, complete with billboards and skyscrapers in the distance. The market scene of Act 3 even had wire fences against which Mimi had her “Lorna Tolentino" moment of sliding down dramatically as she overhears a conversation between Marcello and Rodolfo.

If you want La Boheme to be your first opera experience, it might help to read the story's synopsis beforehand or watch recorded versions of the opera, available in DVD. You can also watch the film version of RENT, starring the original Broadway cast. This way, you can simply concentrate on appreciating the music without getting lost or even falling asleep.

La Boheme is showing at the CCP Main Theater on October 3 and 4 at 8PM and October 5 at 3PM. For tickets and other information, call the Philippine Opera Company at 892-8786, or visit www.philippineoperacompany.com. Tickets are also available at all TicketWorld outlets at 891-9999.