Jonathan Miller’s production for ENO has quickly become a company classic and here receives its second revival since its 2009 premiere. Inspired by Brassaï’s photographs of the Paris Left Bank in the 1930s, Miller modernises the original bohemian setting to evoke the stark poverty of the day, creating a highly effective contemporary resonance, citing the film Withnail and I as an inspiration. Playing Mimì is Kate Valentine, who in recent seasons has played the Countess in Fiona Shaw’s production of The Marriage of Figaro and an ‘excellent’ (The Times) Helena in Christopher Alden’s Olivier Award-nominated A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Gwyn Hughes Jones returns to the role of Rodolfo following his great success in ENO’s 2010 production, and recent acclaimed Pinkerton in Madam Butterfly.

You can find out more and book tickets at the ENO website

The fresh young cast – led by an ardent Gwyn Hughes Jones as Rodolfo and Kate Valentine as a real, flesh and blood Mimi – were uniformly strong
Fiona Maddocks, The Observer – Full Review

The finest quartet yet of leads in this production…Kate Valentine‘s ’s Mimi is a genuine innocent…and deliciously ardent with it…Mimi feels like a role she may never play better dramatically
Alexandra Coghlan, The Arts Desk Full Review

(Rodolpho would) have had to be made of stone not to respond to Kate Valentine’s Mimì, whose half-lit, ghostly first entrance sets the tone of her ethereal naivety with unexpected intensity – in this world but already not quite of it. She didn’t put a foot wrong in the brilliantly staged, harrowing third Act (the prostitutes plying their dreary, frozen trade is a very good touch) – ‘O mia vita’ really hit the spot – and the death scene had a devastating directness. Valentine’s acting has a natural charm, her singing is full of warmth and character, and the top of her voice, notably at the end of Act One, is secure and unpressured
Peter Reed, Classical Source – Full Review

There’s not a single weak link in the superb cast, in fact it reminded me of the ENO glory days when the company worked with a regular ensemble of singers
As Mimi, Kate Valentine starts hesitantly but grows in confidence and stature as the evening progresses. Whereas Llewellyn gave the character a harder edge than is usual, Valentine’s portrayal is more conventional and as such is more heart-wrenching. There is despair in the voice when she breaks up with Rodolfo, and her final scene pulls on the heart strings but never in a mawkish way
Keith McDonnell, WhatsOnStage.com – Full Review

A dramatically strong cast brought the tragic love story of La bohème vividly to life. ENO Harewood Artist Kate Valentine plays the guileless Mimì extraordinarily well. Her strong soprano was a delight to listen to…
Julia Savage, Bachtrack – Full Review 4 Stars

Valentine is no simpering young waif, but a tall and dignified Mimì, whose soprano…comes into its own as the tension mounts
Richard Fairman, Financial Times Full Review 4 stars

The music has always been wonderful, the sets in this production are brilliantly designed for both atmospheric effect and quick scene-changes, and the singing at ENO is always excellent, but I do not think I have ever seen this opera so well acted in a way that wrings out every nuance of the story.
Gwyn Hughes Jones as Rodolfo and Kate Valentine as Mimi put in excellent performances as the tragic lovers…I can hardly imagine it being performed better than this.
William Hartson, Daily Express – Full Review 4 stars

Ms Valentine never descended into the hackneyed stereotype of a consumptive the role of Mimì can become; rather, she managed to evoke both the strength and the undercurrent of fragility that underpins the character. She delivered a ‘Mi chiamano Mimì’ that was tender as well as captivating, her bright soprano cutting above the increasingly fervent orchestra. ‘O soave fanciulla’ was a particular joy; Mr Hughes Jones and Ms Valentine together spinning a lovely duet of affection that urged one to forget, as the characters have themselves, that they have only just met.
John E De Wald, Opera Britannia – Full Review 4 Stars

Warmly and expressively sung, especially when Valentine opens out her luscious top notes
Richard Morrison, The Times – Full Review

Kate Valentine (Mimì) soars in the pathos-heavy later scenes
Warwick Thompson, The Metro – Full Review

It’s funny how some productions only come into their own on the second or even third revival – and there is no question that – collectively speaking – this cast more than trumps the original and raises the poignancy stakes to an altogether different level…

Into their midst came Kate Valentine’s Mimì, big, open, and honest of voice and quite without that simpering sentimentality. She was marvelous in act three where she and her world are falling apart
Edward Seckerson - Full Review

Kate Valentine’s Mimì… was a credit to her and to ENO. Nobility of spirit was allied to sterling, necessary musical values of phrasing and tonal variegation
Mark Berry, Boulezian - Full Review

The singers are uniformly excellent. Kate Valentine has the ideal voice for Mimi — free and youthful yet also warm and rich
Stephen Wilmot, Londonist – Full Review

It is, however, Gwyn Hughes Jones as Rodolfo and Kate Valentine as Mimì who really stand out, both throwing their heart and soul into their performances. Hughes Jones has an expansive tone that combines lightness with strength while Valentine, also a Harewood Artist, asserts a clear, yet rich and resonant, sound
Sam Smith, Exeunt Magazine – Full Review

The principal cast shines, finding a rhythm in their performance that brings out the comic and tragic elements of the piece perfectly.  Kate Valentine’s Mimi engenders in the audience the necessary sympathy to appreciate her suffering and death without becoming saccharine
Paul Eros, PlaysToSee.com – Full Review – 4 Stars

Kate Valentine, another ENO Harewood Artist, was that seamstress, often singing tenderly with limpid tones. Her Mimì was appealing, romantic, wilful and deeply moving by turns
Jim Pritchard, SeenAndHeardInternational.com – Full Review

Kate Valentine‘s voice is magnetic and commanding while capturing with great poignancy the plight of the failing Mimi
Yvonne Lysandrou, Morning Star Online - Full Review

Articles

Opera Chic ENO Undressed
As English National Opera began the run of its revival production of Puccini’s ‘La bohème’, our correspondent Opera Chic went backstage on First Night to get the low-down on the lead singers’ hair and makeup preparation
Sinfini Music

ENO Undressed Kate Valentine on being Mimì
Scottish soprano Kate Valentine, who stars as Mimì in English National Opera Undressed’s production of La bohème, speaks to Jessica Duchen about bringing Puccini’s heroine to life.
Sinfini Music

Having seduced audiences and critics alike with her protrayal of Musetta, Kate Valentine now makes her role debut of Mimi. You’ll meet cast and crew, as well as enjoying a daily tidbit of the wisdom of Jonathan Miller in ‘The Daily Miller’

Furtive Figaro is a series of video podcasts designed to give you backstage access, as well as an opportunity to meet some of the people behind the scenes. Every episode of series 1, 2, and 3 is available in the media section of this website.

Furtive Figaro is a series of video podcasts designed to give you backstage access, as well as an opportunity to meet some of the people behind the scenes. You can see previous episodes of this series here, as well as the 2010 and 2011 series.

Furtive Figaro is a series of video podcasts designed to give you backstage access, as well as an opportunity to meet some of the people behind the scenes. You can see previous episodes of this series here, as well as the 2010 and 2011 series.

Many people worry that they won’t enjoy opera because it’s often sung in foreign languages. What they may not realise is that surtitles, translations that appear above the stage, are used to help the audience understand the story and keep track of the action.

But who writes the surtitles? Who controls the screen? What happens when it all goes pear-shaped?!? Kate Valentine takes a sneaky glimpse in the dark, computer filled rooms where Stephen Wood, WNO staff musician and surtitle operator, ensures that everything goes according to plan.

Furtive Figaro is a series of video podcasts designed to give you backstage access, as well as an opportunity to meet some of the people behind the scenes. You can see previous episodes of this series here, as well as the 2010 and 2011 series.

Kate is touring with Annabel Arden’s new production of La Bohème for WNO, and this week the company are in Llandudno. Continuing with the theme of makeup, we look at the transformation of a man into a monkey – more specifically, Michael Clifton-Thompson into Parpignol.

You can see the first episode of this series, as well as the previous episodes, in the Media section of this website.

In this first episode of series 3, Kate (making her company debut as Musetta) introduces you to the talented staff responsible for wigs and make-up, reveals the secrets of guy-liner, and answers the age old question of where exactly all the hair goes when you wear a wig.

Furtive Figaro is a series of video podcasts designed to give you backstage access, as well as an opportunity to meet some of the people behind the scenes. Every episode of series 1 and 2 is available in the media section of this website.

A fascinating ‘behind the scenes’ video has been published by WNO, featuring interviews with Kate Valentine (Musetta), Giselle Allen (Mimì), Alex Vicens (Rodolfo) and the director Annabel Arden. This, along with the full trailer, audience reactions, and a more in-depth interview with the creative team, is available in the La Bohème Media section of this website.

You can find out further details of the tour and buy tickets here

…(Kate) Valentine’s sophisticated, generously voiced Musetta and Allen’s hollow-eyed, dreaming, dangerous Mimi steal the show…
Anna Picard, The Independent – Full Review

Kate Valentine’s strongly projected Musetta resisted the temptation to play the ‘tart with a heart of gold’ in favour of a more searching interpretation, so that her eventual part in the tragedy of the final act became a natural development of what had gone before.
Peter Reynolds, Opera Now – 5 stars

Kate Valentine, meanwhile, was the Musetta of everyone’s dreams: utterly seductive.
Richard Bratby, Birmingham Post – Full Review – 5 stars

The strongest portrayal comes from David Kempster, whose Marcello makes the volatile relationship with Kate Valentine’s feisty Musetta a strong balance for the lovers Rodolfo and Mimì
Rian Evans, The Guardian – Full Review - 4 Stars

…There are many good performances. David Kempster’s Marcello has an embittered streak that adds a volatile edge to his scenes with Kate Valentine’s actressy Musetta. Both sing strongly…
Richard Morrison, The Times – 4 Stars

The casting is of a standard to do credit to any opera house…David Kempster’s Marcello and Kate Valentine’s Musetta, made the great contrasting passions of Act III as powerful as I have known them in the theatre.
Michael Tanner, The Spectator (23/6/2012) – Review

This production is one to see…(David Kempster’s Marcello’s)… relationship with Kate Valentine’s Musetta is physical and tender, and they are well-matched and play off each other with an edge and a clear desire.
Bethan Dudley Fryar, Opera Brittania – Full Review – 4.5 Stars

…from the moment when Musetta (Kate Valentine) struck up the waltz song, it was spell-binding…(her) account of Musetta’s waltz in act 2 was a delight, but Arden developed it into a real dramatic moment as well
Robert Hughill, Opera Today – Full Review

Anita Hartig, making her UK debut, was direct and pure-voiced as Mimi, brilliantly offset by Kate Valentine’s extravagant, luscious Musetta
Fiona Maddocks, The Observer – Full Review

Giselle Allen’s touching Mimì displays all the right qualities, her warm soprano contrasting effectively with that of Kate Valentine’s feisty Musetta.
John Allison, The Telegraph Seven Magazine – Full Review

As his feisty on-off lover, Kate Valentine’s attractively tart, borderline spinto sound was the perfect tonal foil for Hartig’s limpid Mimi, lasering out splendidly brash top Bs at the end of the waltz and never slipping into tired tart-with-a-heart cliche: like pretty much everyone else involved, the sincerity was palpable.
Katherine Cooper, Whatsonstage.com – Full Review – 4 Stars

Kate Valentine’s Musetta was perhaps the most captivating portrayal, a slight edge, especially during the second act, differentiating her nicely from Mimi. Indeed, the lilt, expertly judged, to Valentine’s rendition of ‘Quando me’n vo’ imparted character and sheer enjoyment in equal measure. Increased warmth of tone during the fourth act was apt and telling
Mark Berry, Boulezian – Full Review

For me, performance of the night goes to (soprano) Kate Valentine, who plays Musetta with admirable whorehouse swagger. Her “Quando me’n vo’“ dazzles – as though Puccini himself turned up and switched on the Surround Sound.
Stuart Macbeth, Oxford Mail – Full Review

Kate Valentine (Musetta) and David Kempster (Marcello) stand tall – literally and musically
Nigel Jarrett, South Wales Argus – Full Review

The support is strong… Kate Valentine makes a stylish Musetta
Steven Walsh, The Arts Desk – Full Review

This brand new production of Puccini’s famous opera is beautifully sung and acted by members of the WNO…Kate Valentine adds colour and style as (Marcello’s) on-off girlfriend.
Paul Martson, Tamworth Herald – Full review

The singing is uniformly glorious…Kate Valentine vamping it up sensationally as the sultry Musetta
Richard Bratvy – This is Tamworth – Full Review

As painter Marcello, David Kempster was mighty of stature and voice, characteristics shared with his Musetta (Kate Valentine).
Chris Gray- The Oxford Times – Full Review

The on-off romance of Marcello with Kate Valentine’s Musetta was a serious counter-poise to Rodolfo and Mimi rather than a side show. Valentine’s account of Musetta’s waltz in act 2 was a delight, but Arden developed it into a real dramatic moment as well
Robert Hughill – Opera Today – Full Review

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Given its first ever performance at Glyndebourne in 1946, Benjamin Britten created this opera with the poet Ronald Duncan, who wrote about their collaboration: ‘Britten and I worked at the same desk. We first discussed the shape of the whole drama and then spent several days working over this in order to reduce it to its essential simplicity. We kept our work fluid – even after it had gone to the printer and engraver, much to their dismay.’

The result of this close collaboration is an extraordinary and tightly focussed treatment of a legend which has acquired numerous layers in painting, poetry and drama. Lucretia is raped by the tyrant Tarquinius Superbus, ruler of Rome, and elects to kill herself rather than live with the shame. The action of the opera is commented on throughout by a Male and Female Chorus who occupy another dimension, at times narrating the story and at times voicing the thoughts of the different characters.

The central role of Lucretia is one which engages the talents of a singing actress to the utmost and one with which director Fiona Shaw will empathise keenly, drawing on her own experiences as both a performer and a director.

It was in describing this work that Britten coined the term ‘chamber opera’, creating a work of distilled power and refinement with a cast of eight and an orchestra of 12 players and piano.

Sung in English with supertitles

Supported by Lindsay and Sarah Tomlinson

Find out more, and book tickets at the Glyndebourne Website

• Best new opera production – English National Opera’s Castor and Pollux at the London Coliseum
• Outstanding achievement in opera – ENO, for the breadth and diversity of its artistic programme

Kate is a Harewood Singer at ENO and is delighted to have taken part in two critically acclaimed productions in 2011 – as Countess Almaviva in Fiona Shaw’s The Marriage of Figaro and Helena in David Alden’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. The breadth and quality of ENO’s operatic programme for 2011-12 was recognised not only in the Outstanding Achievement in Opera award, but also with nominations for The Passenger, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and Castor & Pollux.

Both awards were taken by an emotional John Berry, ENO artistic director, who took time to thank every member of the company. Standing centre stage at Covent Garden, John said “I really do think ENO is the most exciting opera house in the world at the moment”. With upcoming new productions of Billy Budd, Jakob Lenz, The Flying Dutchman and Dr Dee, I think everyone will agree.

You can find out more at their website www.eno.org. A full list of the winners can be seen at www.olivierawards.com

Kate Valentine’s fifth – You now have sorrow; but I shall see you again and your heart shall rejoice was particularly moving…It was the sort of concert I felt it a privilege to have attended.
Barnaby Milne, Edinburgh Guide – Full Review

Nor could we have wished for anything more searingly impressive than the solo pairing of Finley’s and Scots soprano Kate Valentine.
Kenneth Walton, The Scotsman – Full Review

Kate Valentine performed the role of Helena alongside fellow ENO young singers Allan Clayton & Benedict Nelson in Christopher Alden’s critically acclaimed production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. This is the second consecutive year that Kate has been part of a nominated production.

The winners will be announced on 15th April 2012.You can watch the awards live using the BBC Red Button from 5pm on the night, or listen to BBC Radio 2. You can find out more about this and the other nominations at www.olivierawards.com.