LA BOhème
JUNE 18, 23 & 25, 2022 | 7:30 P.M.
MUSIC HALL
Music by Giacomo Puccini
Libretto by Giuseppe Giacosa and Luigi Illica
Sung in Italian with projected English translation
The Story
1830s Paris. The artist Marcello and poet Rodolfo try to keep warm on Christmas Eve in their Latin Quarter garret. They are joined by their roommates—Colline, a philosopher, and Schaunard, a musician. Their landlord, Benoit, comes to collect the rent. After getting the older man drunk, the friends throw him out. They soon depart for the Café Momus, though Rodolfo remains behind. There is another knock at the door—it’s Mimì, a pretty neighbor, whose candle has gone out. Rodolfo helps her to the door and relights her candle. Mimì realizes that she lost her key, and as they search, both candles go out. Rodolfo finds the key and slips it into his pocket. In the moonlight, he takes her hand and tells her about his dreams. Happy to have found each other, Mimì and Rodolfo leave together to join the others.
At the Café Momus, Rodolfo introduces Mimì to his friends. Marcello’s former sweetheart Musetta makes a noisy entrance on the arm of the wealthy Alcindoro. Trying to gain Marcello’s attention, Musetta sings of her own popularity. Sending Alcindoro away, Musetta falls into Marcello’s arms. Soldiers march by and the bohemians fall in behind, leaving Alcindoro to settle the check.
Later, on the edge of Paris, guests are heard within a tavern. Mimì arrives, searching for the place where Marcello and Musetta now live. When Marcello appears, she tells him of her distress over Rodolfo’s jealousy. Rodolfo emerges from the tavern, and Mimì hides. Rodolfo tells Marcello that he wants to separate from Mimì, blaming her flirtatiousness. But then he breaks down, saying that her illness can only grow worse amid their poverty. Mimì comes forward to say goodbye to her lover. They recall their past happiness and decide to remain together until springtime.
Months later in the garret, Rodolfo and Marcello, now single, reflect on their loneliness. To lighten their spirits, their friends stage a mock duel. Musetta bursts in with news that Mimì is outside, too weak to come upstairs. As Rodolfo runs to her, Musetta relates how Mimì begged to be taken to Rodolfo to die. Mimì is made comfortable, while Musetta asks Marcello to sell her earrings for medicine and Colline goes off to pawn his overcoat. Left alone, Mimì and Rodolfo recall their first happy days, but she is seized with violent coughing. When the others return, Mimì slowly drifts into unconsciousness. Musetta prays for her, but it is too late. The friends realize that she is dead, and Rodolfo collapses in despair.
–Courtesy of The Metropolitan Opera
In Performance
La Bohème is full of memorable arias, duets, and ensembles—and Puccini makes sure you remember them! By skillfully recalling motives and fragments throughout the opera, he wrings the utmost pathos from the situation. In Act I, the back-to-back arias of Rodolfo and Mimì as they meet are marvels in contrasting character studies. Musetta’s aria in Act II begins as a lyrical “tease” that builds to an exhilarating climax of high spirits and romantic reconciliation. In Act III, the famous quartet of parting lovers neatly encapsulates Henri Murger’s description of bohemian life as “a gay life, yet a terrible one.” In Act IV, Colline’s touching farewell to his coat as he leaves for the pawnbroker’s is understated and grave, as the young philosopher faces the end of his own carefree existence. The last scene shared by Rodolfo and Mimì, in which they recall their meeting and happy days together, rarely fails to elicit tears.
The performance will last approximately 2 hours and 35 minutes.
There will be two intermissions.