SWANSEA City Opera’s La Boheme came to Newport on Saturday night and the word that springs to mind is simply ‘power.’ For those who have never seen an opera live before, I would easily recommend it.

Handily translated into English and updated at the artistic director’s discretion from 1830s to 1945-1946 to make it ‘more relevant’ to a modern audience, La Boheme is a tale of blossoming love and untimely death in the aftermath of the Second World War in Paris.

The cast each boasted impressive career credits including working with Luciano Pavarotti himself. This was indicative of the quality on offer, with the stars hailing from as far away as New Zealand to take part in this 25-date tour of the country.

There were some moments that were truly breathtaking. The full might of 15+ actors on stage singing  in unison was stunning, particularly soprano Angharad Morgan - whose vocals were so strong I could hardly believe they were live.

For fans of opera this is a must-see, and for novices it’s a great opportunity to see what opera has to offer.

A heart-felt story, fantastic musical accompaniment and mesmerising vocals. An excellent evening indeed.  Visit swanseacityopera.com.

Joshua Nicholas