La Bohème film, set in New York with Chinese leads, modernises Puccini’s opera
- Hong Kong group More Than Musical has made its first foray into film with a contemporary reimagining of Puccini’s opera La Bohème
- The group is now preparing to perform a version of Bizet’s Carmen that follows a young woman in a future Hong Kong trying to find her place in the world
A Hong Kong group on a mission to adapt Western operas for modern audiences has made its first foray into film with a contemporary reimagining of La Bohème. The film has been released online and is expected to be hit cinema screens in Hong Kong this autumn.
With live performances on hold for much of last year thanks to the coronavirus pandemic, MTM turned to film and made it an international venture – a Hong Kong cultural export to help the group reach new audiences, Hasegawa says.
The diverse cast is led by China-born Bizhou Chang (as Mimi) and Ziwen Xiang (as Rodolfo). Filming was done in the winter of 2020 in locations around New York, a contemporary stand-in for the original setting of 19th century Paris.
MTM partnered with four opera companies in the US (Boston Lyric Opera, Opera Omaha, Opera Columbus and Tri-Cities Opera) and The Grange Festival in Britain, and picked artist and opera director Laine Rettmer to direct the 90-minute film.
