THERE was an enthusiastic audience at Bournemouth’s Pavilion Theatre for the ‘one night only’ production of one of the most romantic operas ever written – Puccini’s La Boheme.

This classic opera, in four acts and boasting lavish sets and costumes, had the audience transfixed from beginning to end.

Directed by Ellen Kent and featuring the celebrated Chisinau National Opera and Philharmonic Orchestra with international soloists, the brand new production was traditionally staged; sung in Italian with English subtitles above the stage.

The Wednesday (April 9) evening performance clearly hadn’t put many off paying for a special midweek treat.

La Boheme, based on Henri Murger’s novel, Scenes de la vie de boheme, tells the tragic tale of the doomed, consumptive Mimi and her love for a penniless writer.

The set paid homage to the Bohemian art of the period, including a colourful carnival scene, gypsy dancers, a local brass band, snow effects and Muzetta’s dog.

This classic tale of love and loss in Parisian society, with its fair share of comedic moments to lighten the mood, featured a host of famous arias including ‘Your Tiny Hand is Frozen’, ‘They Call me Mimi’ and ‘Muzetta’s Waltz’.

By the ending, and I won’t spoil it for any opera newcomers, there was barely a dry eye in the auditorium.