Leoncavallo’s La Bohème may not live up to its more famous counterpart, yet it offers a fresh perspective on familiar characters, placing greater emphasis on the relationship between Musetta and Marcello. The musical language leans slightly more traditional than Puccini’s, but Ruggero Leoncavallo’s harmonic curiosity propels him into flights of fancy that sustain the listener’s attention albeit without the additional orchestral embellishments that Giacomo Puccini employed so vividly.

The cast assembled here is excellent, with Ettore Bastianini a particular stand-out as Rodolfo. Doro Antonioli, as Marcello, is given plenty of opportunity to shine and acquits himself beautifully, shaping his part with sensitivity and assurance.