THIS is a most enjoyable opera, for three reasons.

First, the story of doomed love is engrossing, second, Puccini’s music is evocative and passionate and third, it’s relatively short.

Coming in at around two hours 20 minutes in three acts, there’s no self indulgence or boring bits.

Sung in Italian with English subtitles and set in Paris of the Fifties, Peter Relton’s direction is excellent.

We see the events unfold through a large picture frame, as the starving young poet Rodolfo (Bulent Bezduz) and his equally hard-up mates, Schaunard (Quirijn de Lang), Marcello (Marcin Bronikowski) and Colline (Frederic Bourreau), bemoan their financial plight on Christmas Eve, while stuck in a frozen and bare Parisian attic.

Heading out to drown their sorrows, the three leave Rodolfo to complete his poetry when a power cut occurs and he’s asked for help by a neighbour, the beautiful, but consumptive, Mimi (Anne Sophie Duprels). Within ten minutes of meeting, the pair have exchanged life information in song and declare themselves deeply in love. It’s stirring stuff.

In contrast to Marcello, who takes up with good-time girl Musetta (Sarah Fox) in a carefree but seemingly more stable relationship, Rodolfo quickly falls deeper in love with Mimi and his jealousy threatens to destroy the relationship.

Cast out by Rodolfo, Mimi’s health deteriorates. She calls for Rodolfo as she is at death’s door and, as she slips away, we discover a true love bond that is sadly broken by her untimely passing.

It’s heart-wrenching stuff, played out by an excellent cast and enhanced by Richard Farnes’ uplifting conducting.

■ La Boheme runs again tomorrow. Ruddigore runs on Saturday. Cosi fan tutte is tonight. Box Office 08448-112-121.

Ed Waugh