In the normal run of things a revival of Phyllida Lloyd's 1993 production of La Bohème would hardly be news. But it still holds its power, despite some clumsy lighting on the first night: the essence of Puccini's opera is the contrast between the silliness and the tragedy, and Lloyd neatly underlined the silliness by showing the Bohemians as modern students, very obviously modelled on The Young Ones. Revival director Daniel Slater has also added a few new gags and some telling details of his own.
But it is Steven Sloane who makes this revival different. He has now been music director of Opera North long enough to have gained the confidence of the orchestra and to have made his impact on their sound. There was a luminous and transparent colour to the playing, and he was able to control the pacing in his own distinctive way. In the last act, particularly, he drew every ounce of tension from the score.
The new cast is mainly of lighter voices that put the emphasis on detail rather than on massive singing. Almost the only full sounds of the evening were from Henry Waddington as Colline, for his Coat Song in the last act, and from Christine Buffle as a luscious but slightly overplayed Musetta in the second. For the rest, a deliciously drawn Marcello from William Dazeley and a compelling Schaunard from Stephan Loges set the tone for a performance that was about personal interactions rather than high drama.
The ever-magical Eric Roberts produced two perfect vignettes, first as Benoit and then as Alcindoro. Harrie van der Plas, new to Opera North, sang Rodolfo with a highly distinctive and slightly reedy tenor voice, perhaps one more suited to the earlier Italian repertory but in this context very effective. If he was not always able to produce a truly eloquent line he more than compensated by superb acting. As Mimi, Mary Plazas offered an unusual slant. Her first appearance in elegantly tailored slacks was of a knowing seductress, not the bashful recluse usually seen. This worked well, as did her effortless control of the musical lines. It is easy to predict that other companies will soon want her as Mimi.
• Final performance tonight (0113-222 6222), then tours.
