Ellen Kent’s La Bohème returns to Opera House, Manchester with Puccini’s tragic love story; set in 19th-century Paris, revolving around a group of young bohemians—artists, poets, and musicians—struggling with love, loss, and poverty. Remaining as moving as ever, vocal performances soar, but its impact is undercut by a few missteps.

Viktoriia Melnyk is undoubtedly the standout of the evening, bringing charm and vocal agility to her Musetta. Her Act II aria is a delight, brimming with wit and charisma, and she injects much-needed dynamism into the production. The chemistry between Rodolfo (Davit Sumbadze) and Mimi (Elena Dee) is sincere, their duets rich with longing and tenderness, particularly in the heart-breaking final act. Their performances capture the sweeping romance and devastating sorrow that make La Bohème such an enduring favourite.

A surprise highlight comes in the form of Milo the dog, who effortlessly steals the scene and earns warm laughter from the audience. It’s a small but welcome touch, offering a moment of levity in an otherwise tragic tale. While such moments add charm, they also inadvertently highlight the production’s biggest flaw—its pacing.

Staging is static but detailed and does its job in transporting the audience to 19^th Century bohemian Paris, yet long scene changes break the flow, making it difficult to stay fully engaged with the unfolding drama. These lulls dampen the opera’s emotional punch and make the overall experience feel disjointed. Opera thrives on emotional momentum and the frequent pauses between scenes make it harder for audiences to remain invested in the characters’ fates. With technological advances moving forward at a rapid pace, for the modern theatre-goer, this lack of efficiency becomes increasingly frustrating.

Despite these flaws, the vocal performances ensure that La Bohème still delivers moments of genuine poignancy. Puccini’s glorious score remains as affecting as ever, with the orchestra (conducted by Vasyl Vasylenko) providing a rich and emotive backdrop to the singers’ performances. While the production may not be the most visually striking (though the snow machines, noisy as they are, are appreciated), the sheer quality of the music elevates it, allowing the emotional weight of the story to dapple through.

Presented with the Ukrainian Opera and Ballet Theatre, Kyiv, a moving rendition of the Ukrainian national anthem is a stirring final bow to a sombre final scene, as performers stand proudly with their country’s flag as the audience stands with them- celebrating both their talents and resilience.

Ultimately, this La Bohème is an uneven but still enjoyable night at the opera. The cast’s commitment and vocal skill keep it afloat, even if the stage design (or lack of) doesn’t always support them. For those who value strong performances there’s plenty to admire here. Kent’s production may not hit all the right notes, but it’s an accessible first foray into opera which will be just enough for most.

Details of this weekends further offerings from Ellen Kent at the Opera House in Manchester can be found here.

Tickets gifted in exchange for an honest review.

Photography provided by the production.