Product Details

• Actors: Mula, Giordano, Capitanucci, Machado, Menendez
• Directors: Lough, Lopez Cobos
• Format: Classical, Color
• Language: Italian (Stereo)
• Subtitles: English, Dutch, French, Spanish, Italian
• Region: All Regions
• Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Studio: BBC / Opus Arte
• DVD Release Date: August 26, 2008
• Run Time: 148 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B001B223TM
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #116,392 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Fanfare Magazine, Andrew Quint, January/February 2009

Visually, the high-definition picture communicates the highly contrasted lighting of the production. The cold light of act I really does feel like late afternoon on December 24th. The sets are extravagantly decorated, and there's more stage business than you can possibly take in the first time around--jugglers and acrobats at the Café Momus--yet the design doesn't seem bloated or ostentatious, as some of Franco Zeffirelli's Met productions can. . .For the opera videophile who has taken the plunge with Blu-ray, this release is an obvious early acquisition.

Product Description

It seems hard to believe that even during the last century Puccini was greatly underrated by many as a classical composer and indeed his music was considered to be far too melodic. Fortunately today, Puccini's operas have found their rightful place in the repertoires of all the leading Opera companies around the world.

This production of La Bohème remains true to the period and the libretto of the original score. The director of music, Jesús López Cobos, is to be congratulated for not making changes for changes sake. The cinematic technique employed, particularly for close ups, brings the viewers into the story almost as participants whilst at the same time the opera is clearly being performed on stage as one would expect.

Inva Mula and Aquiles Machado give masterful performances as Mimi and Rodolfo, as do Laura Giordano, Fabio Maria Capitanucci and, indeed, the rest of the cast, bringing the characters to life and doing full justice to Puccini's magnificent score.

A well known anecdote has it that the late King George V, when talking to Sir Thomas Beecham, remarked that La Bohème was his favourite opera as it was the shortest one he knew of. It is not, of course, the shortest opera but the quality of the music with its wonderful arias certainly makes the time pass all too quickly.

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a very fine La Boheme, December 14, 2008

By 

George N. Lawrence (Woodland, WA United States) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Puccini: La Boheme [Blu-ray] (Blu-ray)

Having just purchased this Blu-Ray version of La Boheme and viewed it once, I am extremely pleased. To confirm an earlier review, the format is 1.77 (16:9) and not 1.33 as given in the Amazon description. The sound formats are PCM 2.0 and PCM 5.0. Sadly, no DTS 5.1.

Mimi is sung by Inva Mula (probably best known for singing the aria in Fifth Element) who is still looking and sounding great. She is surrounded by an excellent cast. A relatively young Aquiles Machado sings Rudolpho with a fine tenor. As noted below, Machado is a bit chubby similar to Ramon Vargas. Fortunately, Rudolpho does not have to be a heartthrob. Inva Mula and the stunning Laura Giordano as Musetta (with electric red hair) more than meet the need for photogenic appeal. Nevertheless in the age of 1080p, everyone is going to have to shape up.

This version of La Boheme compares with very well with the recent HD version starring Gheorgiu and Vargas at the Met with set design and direction by Zeffirelli. Matrid has its own creative set and nimble camera work that seems to work on Blu-Ray very well.

Only the one small regret that there is no DTS 5.1.

11 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars 5 stars are to few, December 29, 2008

By 

Edgar Betancourt "HD Lover" (WI) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Puccini: La Boheme [Blu-ray] (Blu-ray)

I though that the Opus Arte productions of Die Fledermaus and Die Zauberflöte were spectacular and a tough act to follow. How wrong I was! La Boheme is even better! This production in the Madrid royal theater is unbelievable. Everything in this blueray production is fabulous, the sound is exquisite the video is fantastic and, of course, the critically acclaimed performance by the star studded cast is simply second to none. It will bring you to tears every time. If you own one blueray opera, this is the one to have!!!!!!

BTW for the reviewer that commented on Rodolfo's "corpulentness" I guess Caruso's and Pavarotti's fatness made them bad tenors too!! Aquiles Machado's Rodolfo is simply fabulous!

8 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a very pleasing version of La Boheme, April 5, 2009

By 

David Smith "smithdav" (Penn Valley, PA USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Puccini: La Boheme [Blu-ray] (Blu-ray)

I am not qualified to provide a detailed analysis of the quality of the singing, but I have watched a large number of La Boheme's on DVD and seen it live at the Met in NYC at least twice. Based on my past experience I found this to be a very pleasing production. My impression of opera on blu ray (at least the opus arte series) is that it provides the ability to use very low light levels without losing image clarity -- in a slightly darkened room it comes very close to being in the opera house. The sets were splendid and the acting moving. The sound was OK, but for a little extra they could have provided a master dts track which in my opinion has the greatest clarity and provides the best "sound stage" of any of the available sound formats.