LA BOHÈME

In 2006, the production of “La bohème” brought together the company of creatives and soloists which years later became Vilnius City Opera, and introduced youth, relevance and the romance into a somewhat stale Lithuanian opera scene. The renowned opera by G. Puccini often becomes a starting point for young vocalists - after all, the work itself tells the story of the difficulties of young Parisian artists, their path towards professional heights and their personal challenges. In this production, set in 1950s Paris, from the very first performances the characters were played by young artists, amongst them - the first “Bohemians”, the now – world famous singers Asmik Grigorian and Edgaras Montvidas.

The director Dalia Ibelhauptaitė decided to change the period, since Lithuania, having been a part of the Soviet Union and having suffered the horrors of mass deportations, never really experienced the glamor of the 1950s. Not openly, at the very least. And so, as Puccini's story was moved ahead in time, the Lithuanian audience turned the clock back to an unfamiliar past, probably only seen in cinema. Obviously, this decision has proved to be right – to this day, “La bohème” is a legendary name associated with the birth of new opera in Lithuania.

The impression that “La bohème” has made and that has lasted for over a decade was also the result of a very visual, cinematographic style of production, which was a very novel thing at the time. The chorus, previously a static commentator in opera, suddenly turned into individually acting Parisians, each with uniquely distinct histories and characteristics. Meanwhile, the details of psychological and physical action of each character were aligned like the score itself and filled not only with the intricacies of emotions, but also with complex physical acts and even stunts, such as the somersault of L. Pautienius or A. Grigorian’s leap from the second floor of the “Momus” café. 

Although working in Lithuania for the first time, D. Bird had unraveled the potential of the impossible for a theatre production Congress Hall, proving that in order to create a miracle on stage, you need to look hard for a suitable “trick”. The audience could feast their eyes on the roofs and attics of Paris that were later transformed into a busy square of Montmartre. It was probably the first time in the history of Lithuanian opera that the audience gave standing ovations, even to stage technicians.