Photo: Marcus Doshi
Tim Mix / Derrek Taylor / Matthew Burns
La Boheme
Puccini
Boston Lyric Opera
2007
When they were actually doing Puccini, however, Opera Theatre came into its
own. The traditional production of La Boheme, directed by Tim Ocel and
designed by Erhard Rom (sets) and Robert Perdziola (costumes), flowed smoothly, and the singers knew
what they were doing. … The production even improved as it went along: the fourth act, which can seem
like a musical anticlimax after the heartbreak of the third, was the tightest and most moving of all.
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La Boheme received a near-ideal performance
(June 23), sensitive, beautifully scaled and more than the sum of its parts. … Tim Ocel’s production in
Erhard Rom’s sets—the most elaborate of the season, but still simple and apt—captured the freshness of
Puccini’s masterpiece, not as easy as is often thought. Even in this most traditional corner of the
repertory, Opera Theatre showed what makes it one of the most special opera companies in America. more...
La Boheme
Opera Theatre of St. Louis, 2001
…a winning production of Giacomo Puccini’s deservedly beloved La Boheme captivated the audience. Conductor Federico Cortese and director Tim
Ocel led a talented cast of youthful singers in a musically lovely and dramatically inspired production.
…more than its share of fine performers, from the small parts to large, and, for once, the boyish
hijinks were entirely believable. … Ocel’s direction was a delight. He drew beautifully nuanced
performances from his singers, and demonstrated an eye for the small detail and movements dictated by
the music. He made the Act II crowd scene come alive with plenty to see in all corners of the stage,
and proved himself much more than a traffic cop. more...