"The two leads, Sonya Yoncheva and Charles Castronovo ... can, to state the obvious, certainly sing, but I was unconvinced by their acting skills, finding little or no spark in their interactions ... The orchestral contributions are elegant, delicate and passionate as required. Emmanuel Villaume adopts a relatively sedate tempo in most places ... Regarding ... Richard Jones' production ... the sets are undoubtedly the best parts of the show. They are quite wonderful, very evocative, and the snow that even falls before the opening curtain sets the scene ... That said, I feel that going to the opera (even by the medium of video) and being most impressed by the sets is rather like going to an art gallery, and thinking the frames were the best part ... Ultimately the success of La bohème is tied to Mimì and Rodolfo. If their romance and tragedy doesn't convince, then no matter how impressive the sets and the supporting cast are, the overall result can't be deemed a success, and sadly that is the case here".