Gulfshore Opera's 'Boheme' trucks in starry nights, bright ambience for Barbara B. Mann debut

For its debut performance of "La Boheme" at Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall, Gulfshore Opera plans to make a major impression. Or, perhaps, a major Post-Impression.

Founder/Artistic Director Steffanie Pearce has guided a dramatic set modeled on the color-drenched works of Post-Impressionist master Vincent van Gogh for its first grand opera in the hall. Does that includes going Dutch on the French milieu of Puccini's tale of free-spirited friends and lovers?

Mais non, says Pearce. The Cafe Momus will still be set in the Latin Quarter and within the walls of Paris. She pointed out that Van Gogh shared the bohemian lifestyle that Rodolfo and his garret-dwelling comrades did.

"(It was) the type of life style these guys had,"  said Pearce. Van Gogh, she said, was known to have whiled away leisure with Parisians in the 19th-century predecessors  of Starbucks or Central Perk.

"The style of the whole whole evening is inspired by those colors, particularly of Van Gogh, that we felt just really resonated," Pearce continued. "He was great friends with Gauguin and they all went to the absinthe bars together. They were all kind of rebels against the strict rules of the late 19th century."

Van Gogh's "Cafe Terrace on the Place du Forum," on which Gulfshore Opera is modeling its expansive Act II boulevard scene, was inspired by the marketplace in Arles, France. The light-flooded terrace, its French red floor arrayed with bistro tables and with stars winking down, offers the front seat to a diverse, fascinating parade of humanity. 

"The backdrop against the cyclorama is a video which will basically incorporate various night skies in Van Gogh's style," Pearce said. Tláloc López-Watermann, known for his operatic lighting and light effects, is handling the starry, starry nights for "La Boheme" — "All original paintings, and they're all inspired by Van Gogh," she added.

Van Gogh's art is in the opening scene as well: His blue-cast "Bedroom at Arles" is the departure point for the garret shared by the opera's four friends.

Impressionism hasn't been neglected: It makes its appearance in the third act of  "La Boheme," which opens at the city gates of Paris on a chilly winter dawn. The walls audiences will see at the Charlotte County Event and Conference Center Friday, March 13, and Barbara B. Mann Hall on Wednesday, March 18, are reminiscent of a Renoir in its montage of Impressionist cityscapes, Pearce said.

The entire evening is meant to appear as if paintings are coming to life, she said: "It starts as a backdrop, but then it morphs into an actual hard set."

Production Manager Ardean Landuis has built it all at his east coast base, creating sets that adapt to both the 900-seat Charlotte County venue and Barbara B. Mann's 1,874-seat house. 

There's no transformation needed for the music, which already is some of opera's most colorful, familiar even outside the opera world:

• "Quando me'n vo '"— better known as Musetta's Waltz, was retooled for a 1950s pop hit ("Don't You Know")
• Mimi's impassioned exchange with Rodolfo at the city gates was moving enough to spur a hand-clutching session between Cher and Nicholas Cage in "Moonstruck."
• Steam comes pouring out in in the movie "Atonement" with “O Soave Fanciulla" — Rodolfo's overture to Mimi in Act I — behind Robbie as he writes his letter of apology to Cecilia.

The costumes also have acquired a Vincent vibe. Wardrobe supervisor Amanda McGee said the artistic vision has been Pearce's. Her task was to find the right pieces and make sure they fit the singers. 

"We made four jackets, and five women's dresses from scratch, and that's a lot for a production," said McGeen, who is pleased with the results. "Steffanie's thought was to make the characters look as though they're stepping out of a painting."

There were some challenges: Many of the paintings they used only show characters from the waist up, so McGee found herself doing a lot of research for pants and footwear. Because of its emphasis, McGee and Gulfshore Opera volunteers also had to sleuth out higher tones in everything.

"We were seeing layers," she said. "It's Paris in the winter, so the characters are wrapped in blankets to stay warm. They're wearing vests and scarves."

"The women will be happy about the dresses because we looked toward the end of the 1800s for the silhouette," she added. "It's more form-fitting, with not so much of the puffy petticoat look." 

McGee's thrill will not be watching "La Boheme" when its characters appear on their biggest stage to date at the Barbara B. Mann. She'll be seeing it from backstage as she commands the movements among a wardrobe of 60 different costume profiles.

"I'm in charge back there," she declared. 

Harriet Howard Heithaus covers arts and entertainment for the Naples Daily News/naplesnews.com. Reach her at 239-213-6091.

If you go

'La Boheme'

What: Gulfshore Opera production of the famous opera about love among the young artists of Paris

Where: Charlotte Performing Arts Center, 701 Carmalita St, Punta Gorda, FL 33950; and Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall, 13350 FSW Parkway, Fort Myers, FL 33919

When: 7 p.m. Friday, March 13, in Charlotte County; 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 18, in Fort Myers

Admission: $50 in Charlotte; $32 to $85 in Fort Myers (includes ticket fee)

To buy: gulfshoreopera.org or 239-529-3925 10 a.m.-3 p.m. weekdays

Something else: Watch for a surprise character's appearance in the second act boulevard scene