La Boheme by Giacomo Puccini Metropolitian Opera NYC 27 February 1989 On the first of three nights of opera at the Met, we saw a classic, classy production of La Boheme with Placido Domingo that affirmed both the opera's place in the reperatoire and the singer's reputation as a star. The story and music, with which I was very familiar from recordings, were very well presented. The set was lush without being overpowering; the cast robust and well turned out; the staging simple but vigorous. Domingo never overpowered, but his voice was very beautiful, the tone clean and the phrasing expressive. Having him on stage added greatly to the performancehe dominated whenever he was present. His imposing figure and sense of presence were captivating. None of the other singers was memorable, but all sang capably and the entire production emphasized the lycricism and beauty of the music. The acting was above average. The orchestra played with energy and precision. Conductor: Nello Santi; Production/set: Franco Zeffirelli; Rodolpho: Domingo; Marcello: Paolo Coni; Benoit: Italo Tajo; Mimi: Fiamma Izzo D'Amico; Alcindoro: Italo Tajo; Musetta: Carol Neblett.