La boheme
About the Event
Jonathan Miller’s classic production of La boheme returns to ENO. Experience opera like never before in this astonishing performance of masterworks by Puccini at London's remarkable London Coliseum.
Giacomo Puccini
Giacomo Puccini was an Italian opera composer of the late 19th century. He was considered one of the greatest composers of the Italian Opera, second only to Verdi. His early works were characterised by features of the traditional 19th century romantic Italian opera. Later, his style developed into the realistic verismo style, which inspired him to write his most famous masterpieces and became one of the leading exponents of the style. His most renowned works La bohème 1896, Tosca 1900, Madama Butterfly 1904, and Turandot 1924, all are popular operas played in the most prestigious venues of the classical world.
'La Bohème is a four‐act opera composed by Giacomo Puccini in 1896 on a libretto by Giuseppe Giacosa and Luigi Illica, based on Henri Murger´s “Scenes from the Bohemian Life”. The opera, a romantic favourite, explores the lives and loves of a group of young artists forging an unconventional existence in Paris in the 1840s.
Act 1: Christmas Eve in Paris. A quartet of young bohemians find ways to feed themselves and stay warm in their attic quarters, finding comic distraction in the form of their philandering landlord.
The group decides to celebrate Christmas at the Cafe Momus in the Latin Quarter. Rodolfo, a poet and playwrite, send the others on their way, planing to join them shortly.
Mimi, a seamstress, knock on the door — her candle has blown out, and she needs someone to light it again. Rodolfo obliges, and asks the captivating girl about herself. The candle blows out again, and in the darkness and confusion that ensues, the pair realise they have fallen in love. They go to join Rodolfo's friends at the cafe.
Act 2: The Latin Quarter is buzzing as Christmas approaches. Rodolfo buys Mimi a pink bonnet, and the friends take a table at the Cafe Momus.
Musetta, the former lover of one of the other bohemians, Marcello, enters with her elderly admirer, Alcindoro. Musetta torments Alcindoro and Marcello alike, before sending the former off to find a cobbler to fix her shoe. Marcello and Musetta are reunited, and Alcindoro is left with the bill!
Act 3:Two months later, Mimi goes to find Marcello at the inn where he and Musetta now live. Mimi tells Marcello that she and Rodolfo have parted ways, because the poet became unjustifiably jealous. Marcello tells her that Rodolfo is sleeping inside.
Rodolfo comes out to speak to Marcello, and Mimi hides, Rodolfo initially says the break up was caused by Mimi's coquettish behaviour, but eventually admits that Mimi is seriously ill, and he cannot help her. Rodolfo hopes that by parting from him, Mimi will find a wealthy suitor who will be able to give her what is needed to restore her health.
Mimi's tears and coughing give her away, and Rodolfo finds her. Marcello goes indoors to rein in the flirtatious Musetta, and Rodolfo and Mimi agree to an amicable separation, but decide to remain togeter until the spring.
Act 4: Several months later, Marcello and Rodolfo work alongside each other, and talk of their respective loves, both of whom have left them for wealthier suitors. The bohemians are back to scraping a living, and making fun of themselves in the process.
Suddenly Musetta appears. She has found Mimi, weak and ill, in the street, and has brought her to Rodolfo, as Mimi requested. Musetta and Marcello leave to sell Musetta's earrings for medicine, Colline to pawn his coat, and Rodolfo and Mimi are left alone to remember happier days.
The others return, and Mimi rallies momentarily, before she falls asleep, never again to wake. Rodolfo cries out her name, and weeps helplessly as the curtain falls.
Practical Information
La bohème is sung in English with lyrics projected above the stage. Please note: No view of surtitles from row H backwards in Dress Circle and rows K & L in the Upper Circle
