Puccini’s tale of doomed love in the freezing garrets of Paris returns to Birmingham Hippodrome in this production by Welsh National Opera.

Based on Henri Murger’s Scénes de la vie de bohème, a tale of young artists and their girlfriends in the Bohemian Paris of the late 19th century, the story centres around the love affair of writer Rodolfo and the fragile Mimi. Meeting in the cold attic apartment that Rodolfo shares with three friends, on Christmas Eve, it is love at first sight but it is a romance which can only end in heartbreak as Mimi is suffering from the fatal disease consumption.

Ever a master at pulling the heartstrings, Puccini also ensured plenty of humour to balance this tragedy, largely in the shape of the four struggling artists and their attempts to keep food on their plates and fuel in their fire. Jung Soo Yun, as Rodolfo, Rodion Pogossov as Marcello, Benson Wilson as Schaunard and David Shipley as Colline, fool around, cheating their landlord and burning their own artworks for survival.

But all changes with the arrival of Mimi, played by Elin Pritchard. The famous scene in which she and Rodolfo meet, and their hands first touch in the darkness, is played with just the level of innocence versus slight guile as they both engineer a chance acquaintance becoming more.

Soo Yun’s Rodolfo is tender and caring, so much so that he is prepared to give up the love of his life in the hope she can be well if not forced to live in poverty. Pritchard’s Mimi is initially a bit cheeky but we gradually see her overtaken by despair as she is unable to hold onto the love she so desires.

In parallel we see the combative relationship of Marcello with the beautiful but flirtatious Musetta. Aoife Miskelly plays a Musetta well aware of her charms and selfish in her desires - and yet we see her redeemed when she makes a sacrifice for the dying Mimi.

Designed by Stephen Brimson Lewis, the production makes good use of space, taking us easily into the attic apartment and then out onto the streets of Paris and into its Left Bank clubs and restaurants. Video projection designed by Nina Dunn brings an added dimension with giant snowflakes falling over the roofs of Paris.

Puccini’s score is stunningly beautiful, which is why so much of this opera is so well-known out of context. It doesn’t take too many hours of listening to Classic FM before you hear an excerpt from La bohème. Conducted by Pietro Rizzo, the WNO Orchestra never falters, giving us a score which is rich in colour and depth.

La bohème is one of the most famous operas and is loved for its romantic story and wonderful music. This WNO production is now ten years old but it continues to do justice to Puccini’s original.

Four stars

Reviewed by Diane Parkes at Birmingham Hippodrome on Wednesday 9 November. Welsh National Opera's La Boheme continues to show at the venue until Fri 11 November.