World premiere: 1 February 1896, Teatro Regio, Turin
Premiere of this production: 11 May 2011
Libretto: Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa,
based on Scиnes de la vie de bohиme by Henri
Murger Conductor: Peter Feranec Stage Director,
Stage and Lighting Designer: Arnaud Bernard Principal
Chorus Master: Vladimir Stolpovskikh Costume
Designer: Carla Ricotti Costume Production
Engineer: Alla Marusina Directors: Yulia
Prokhorova, Margarita Kunitsyna-Tankevich Chorus Masters:
Alexey Dmitriyev, Sergey Tsyplyonkov Principal Pianists:
Natalia Dudik, Marc Vainer Stage Director’s Assistant:
Vyacheslav Kalyuzhny Costume Designer Assistant: Irina
Talova Artistic and technological visual solutions of the production were
developed by the stage technologies studio ‘Show Consulting’, St. Petersburg
Stage Design: Dmitry Balashyov Lighting
Plot: Gidal Shugaev
The performance is recommended for
viewers above the age of 12
There are few productions in the
world of opera that could compete with this lyrical drama.
It is not pretentious, convoluted or emotional — here, the
art of opera and the real world collide. It was not by chance
that Puccini turned to the only book by Murger that survived its
author: The composer knew the protagonists very well: at times, during his
studies at the Milan Conservatory, he too had to go without
food, just like them. Later, at the time of success and financial
independence, he was a centre of the crowd of artists,
painters and writers, nicknamed on his initiative ‘The Bohemian Club.’
The composer conceived the idea of the opera in 1893. The
opera was created to an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica
(1853-1919) and Giuseppe Giacosa (1847-1906), yet
it was Puccini who shaped the plan and sketched the characters of the
protagonists, who differ from those in the original. Puccini was absorbed
by the opera and started composing it in 1894, when the libretto
wasn’t ready yet.
Puccini wrote his opera La boheme
contemporaneously with Leoncavallo’s own treatment of the same story. The
rivalry ended in a quarrel. By the end of 1985 Puccini’s
La bohиme was ready and received its premiere on 1 February 1896
in Turin.
Synopsis
Act I
A garret in the Latin Quarter in Paris.
Rodolfo and Marcello, a writer and a painter, are trying to work
but in vain. They are starving and freezing in their garret. But they
never lose their sense of humor. In order to keep warm, they burn
the manuscript of Rodolfo’s work. Colline, a philosopher, enters
shivering. Then Schaunard, a musician arrives with food, firewood, wine,
cigars, and money. The friends cheer up, and when the landlord Benoît comes
wishing to collect the overdue rent, the four Bohemians skillfully avoid
paying him. Marcello, Colline and Schaunard leave for Café Momus and Rodolfo
tells them that he will join them in a while, after
he finishes an article he is writing for the news¬paper.
Soon after his neighbour Mimì, a poor seamstress, is knocking
on the door. Her candle has blown out, and she has no matches; she
asks Rodolfo to light it. He is enchanted with the girl. She
thanks him, but returns a few seconds later, saying she has lost her key.
Mimì tells Rodolfo of her background and her story deeply moves him. They
confess their love for each other. On hearing their friends’ voices, they
decide to go off and join the others at the café.
Act II
The Latin Quarter. The group
is together amidst a huge crowd that has gathered on Christmas
Eve. As the men and Mimì dine at the cafe, Musetta, formerly
Marcello’s sweetheart, arrives with a new admirer, the rich Alcindoro.
Musetta has left Marcello as she has had enough of the Bohemian life
but she’s still in love with him. She’s hoping to reclaim Marcello’s
attention but he doesn’t seem to notice her. Musetta is burning
with anger for that. To get rid of Alcindoro, Musetta invents
a motive to send him off and hugs Marcello. The waiter brings the
bill. Schaunard finds out that there’s no money left. Musetta finds the
solution: all the charges are put on Alcindoro’s bill.
Act III
In front of an inn on the
outskirts of Paris. Early morning. Marcello is working
as a painter at the local inn. Mimì has come to see him and
tell him of Rodolfo’s jealousy that makes her life unbearable. She coughs
all the time. On seeing Rodolfo, she hides and overhears Rodolfo first
telling Marcello that he left Mimì because of her coquettishness, but
finally confessing that he fears she is slowly being consumed
by a deadly illness. Rodolfo, in his poverty, can do little
to help Mimì and hopes that his pretended unkindness will inspire her
to seek another, wealthier suitor. Her sobs and coughs reveal her presence.
Rodolfo tries to console her but now, when she knows his secret, she
insists on parting. Mimì and Rodolfo have a moving farewell. The
happiness of Marcello and Musetta has also come to an end. The
couple quarrel fiercely: Marcello blames her for her coquettishness and they
break up.
Act IV
The
garret. Several months have passed. Rodolfo and Marcello are trying
to work. They talk about their loved ones. Suddenly Musetta arrives: Mimì
has also come but she is too weak to get to the garret. The
friends bring Mimì in. It’s still cold in the garret. Musetta and Marcello
leave to sell Musetta’s earrings in order to buy some food and
invite a doctor. Left alone, Mimì and Rodolfo recall their first encounter.
The Bohemian company returns with a gift of a muff to warm
Mimì’s hands and some medicine. Mimì takes the muff and falls asleep. Rodolfo
curtains the window not to disturb Mimì, but his sweetheart is already
dead.