A STERLING RENDITION OF CLASSIC 'BOHEME'.

Byline: David Mermelstein Correspondent

TO THOSE WHO might contest the power of artists to transform the mundane into the sublime, we present Exhibit A: tenor Roberto Alagna and soprano Angela Gheorghiu's recent arrival in Herbert Ross' production of ``La Boheme,'' currently at the Los Angeles Opera.

Performances of Puccini's classic tearjerker of love found and lost too often range from the routine to the uninvolved. But not with Alagna and Gheorghiu, gifted operatic superstars as physically handsome as they are vocally ravishing. In real life, they are also husband and wife, a not incidental bonus when it comes to playing star-crossed lovers and the like.

On Friday night, they assumed the leads - Rodolfo, a starving poet, and Mimi, a seamstress - in Ross' attractive and sensible staging (now directed by Stanley M. Garner). Gheorghiu makes her company debut in this production, and Alagna might as well be - his previous appearance a disappointing program of operatic excerpts.

The couple's claims on Mimi and Rodolfo are long-standing, so their mastery was no surprise, but their freshness was. Even in Mimi's climactic death scene, there was a sense of spontaneity, with Alagna producing devastating sobs. They also added their own bits of stage business, enriching the production. And though the tenor's unassisted cartwheel in Act 4 smacked of showboating, it lent veracity to his portrayal.

And for the singing itself, Gheorghiu's rich and complex voice, which occasionally recalls Maria Callas', is the more technically reliable. But her husband's mellifluous sound possesses warmth and some ringing high notes. Both are superb actors, he especially in comedy, making the pair among the most winning singers today.

Georgian soprano Eteri Lamoris, as the coquettish Musetta, was also new to the production. More significant, Emmanuel Villaume succeeded Lawrence Foster in the pit, conducting the orchestra as though he'd just discovered Puccini's score, lending it color and fizz.

Many not convinced of opera's appeal have legitimately wondered what they've been missing. The answer can be found at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion for two more days, where star power has rarely been more eloquently expressed.

LA BOHEME - Four stars

Where: Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, 135 N. Grand Ave., Los Angeles.

When: 7:30 tonight and Dec. 17.

Tickets: $25 to $190. [phone] or www.losangelesopera.com.

In a nutshell: Roberto Alagna and Angela Gheorghiu revivify Herbert Ross' familiar production, revealing the value of star power and Puccini's enduring pull.