There is a long and
honourable tradition of arranging both
spoken theatre and operatic works for
performance as ballets. In the latter
situation the choreographer will, I
hope, know the composer’s music intimately
at the inception of the enterprise.
He or she will have to work with a musician
to change and adapt the music. This
will be necessary so that balletic expression
can become a worthy substitute not only
for the words of the libretto but also
for the nuances and dynamics of the
score. In adaptation of a spoken-word
play the whole of the music must obviously
be composed. In this case there appears
to be a mixture of these two challenges.
The vision for a ballet
based on Puccini’s La Boheme appears
to have come from Simon Dow, Artistic
Director of West Australian Ballet.
His background as a former dancer and
actor gave him an informed foundation
from which to initiate the project.
The booklet note states that he worked
alongside Kevin Hocking during the process
of re-composition, for that is what
is involved. A former pianist, Hocking
has diverse experience working in cabaret
and T.V. He has orchestrated and conducted
many works.
As I listened through
the two CDs I was first of all struck
by the use of Puccini’s melody and chording.
Within that sentence are implicit caveats.
First is to recognise that this is not
wholly Puccini’s work. As well as composing
substantial parts, Hocking has softened
some of the characteristic Puccinian
dynamics taking away something of the
dramatic situations that opera lovers
would recognise. This is evident for
example in the first scene where the
shenanigans of the Bohemians prior to
the arrival of their landlord are rather
sanitised (CD 1 tr.1). At other times
I found the added lyricism and lingering
of the tempo appealing as in the act
1 love duet that opera lovers know as
O soave fanciulla (CD 1 tr. 4).
I have given a full listing of the sections
of this ballet arrangement. This will
enable lovers of the opera to relate
the contents of these discs to the score
they know and love. The divertissement
and the revue (CD1 trs. 7-12) are also
shown. These owe more to Kevin Hocking
than Puccini.
The recording quality
is clear and open. The orchestra plays
with panache under the lyrical guidance
of the conductor Dobbs Franks. Personally
I would have preferred Puccini’s music
without the words to this rather anaemic
re-orchestration and additions. I accept
that this may be because I am more an
opera lover than balletomane. Those
who find their satisfactions in ballet
may well come to a different conclusion
and be able to glory in the softened,
more lyrical lines and visualise in
their minds appropriate balletic movements.
The discs will also provide a memento
to all those who attended any of the
performances or may do in the future
if this arrangement gets wider circulation
in the world of dance.
Robert J Farr
West Australian Ballet 
