La Bohème: Your New Opera Fix

Puccini’s iconic opera, La Bohème, is coming to Auckland with the New Zealand Opera company and some shining international soloists. I sat down with one of the leading ladies, Elena Perroni (Mimì) to talk all things opera, music, and drama. Here’s what she had to say about this famous work and why you need to come and see it (other than $25 tickets for under 25’s!).

Elena Perroni is a shining southern star of classical music, hailing originally from Australia, before pursuing higher education in the United States. She sang a lead role in Rigoletto with New Zealand Opera last year and was stoked to come back to Aotearoa for this new production. She shared that Mimì was her first homecoming role when she returned to Australia (with NZO General Director, Brad Cohen), so “It’s sort of come full circle in that way.”

La Bohème is a story of friendship and humanity, featuring four leading characters that live together in one apartment. It’s very Friends, for you TV buffs. Perroni described the show as accessible and easy to follow, even to those who don’t speak Italian, because “it’s storytelling at its greatest.” She shared that it was hugely exciting how Puccini could bring so many layers into step to create a moving score and powerful stage show. It’s not lacking that dopamine hit at all, if anything it prolongs it by taking audiences on a journey with the characters.

“What’s beautiful about classical music is that the music itself has its own character. It informs us of the emotion we should expect to feel”. Perroni was extremely insightful on her thoughts about opera, particularly with regard to audiences who might be skeptical or unfamiliar. To her, it’s about understanding the way that music transcends time. These stories, while yes they’re older than High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, are still real and interesting. She went on to say that seeing anyone excel at their field is extremely exciting, like seeing your favourite sports star or actor on the screen. Why not get excited about a singer at the top of their game?

This production will blow your socks off. With the star studded cast and exceptional production behind them, it will be like stepping into a new world - especially for newbies. Perroni herself shared about this particular production: “I feel as if I’ve heard some moments for the very first time […] Puccini was a genius! [...] This has been really lovely for me as a musician.”

Coming to Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre at the Aotea Centre in late May, this show is one you won’t want to miss. Whether this is your first opera or your fortieth, it’s time to invest in those fancy glasses and buy your tickets! Details about the show can be found at https://nzopera.com/opera/la-boheme/ and Elena Perroni can be found on Instagram @elenaperroni

Craccum recognises the following UOA students who are members of the Auckland chorus for this show: Anh Thu Nguyen, Hannah Morgan, Ivan Zhang, Jack Doyle, and Tom Varney.