La Bohème
GIACOMO PUCCINI
December 9th to 23rd 2022
Sala Principal
Approx. running time: 2h30 with 1 break
LA BOHÈME
Giacomo PucciniOpera in four acts
Libretto by Giuseppe Giacosa and Luigi Illica,
based on Scènes de la vie de bohème by Henri Murger
La Bohème, when the heart starves to death.
A nostalgic trip to the early 19th Century and a homage to the romantic years, when romanticism has already become, by the close of the 19th Century, a legend of individualism, freedom, rebelliousness and amorality in the Parisian night.
The bohemianism depicted by Puccini in his opera is one which battles between life for art and the art of life, between anonymous obscurity and the bright, longed-for horizon of success.
It is a bohemianism of youth whose martyrs pay the price for a life dedicated to love and beauty without scarcely any of them achieving the light of creation, extinguished by the grasping hand of hunger
December 2022 |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
| 09 | Friday | 19:30 | |
| 11 | Sunday | 18:00 | |
| 15 | Thursday | 19:30 | |
| 19 | Monday | 19:30 | |
| 21 | Wednesday | 19:30 | |
| 23 | Friday | 19:30 | |
Creative Team
Conductor
James Gaffigan
Stage Director, Set and Lighting Designer
Davide Livermore
Costume Designer
Palau de les Arts
Videocreator
Gep Cucco
Cast
Rodolfo
Saimir Pirgu
Mimì
Federica Lombardi (9, 11, 15, 19)
Corinne Winters (21, 23)
Marcello
Mattia Olivieri+
Colline
Manuel Fuentes
Musetta
Marina Monzó
Schaunard
Damián del Castillo
Alcindoro/Benoît
Jorge Rodríguez-Norton
Parpignol
Vicent Romero+
Sergente dei doganieri
Alejandro Sánchez++
Doganiere
Marcelo Solís++
Un venditore
Ignacio Giner*
Escolania de la Mare de Déu dels
Desemparats
Chorus
master Luis Garrido
Escola Coral Veus Juntes
Chorus
masters Jordi Blanch, Amalia Bosó
Cor de la Generalitat Valenciana
Chorus
master Francesc Perales
Orquestra de la Comunitat Valenciana
+Alumni – Centre de
Perfeccionament
++Centre de
Perfeccionament
*Cor de la Generalitat
Valenciana
A Palau de les Arts Reina Sofía production, original by Opera Philadelphia
Synopsis
ACT I
19th century Paris. Christmas Eve. Four bohemian friends share a garret in the Montmartre district of Paris. The painter Marcello and the poet Rodolfo are working whilst trying to keep warm. They do not have enough wood for the fire and decide to burn the manuscript of Rodolfo’s drama. Colline, the philosopher enters complaining that Christmas Eve has not been a good day to try and pawn some books. Nevertheless, Schaunard the musician arrives, who has had better fortune, and has managed to bring back some firewood, food and drink. The four friends get ready to set about their feast.
Benoît, the landlord, knocks on the door to collect the rent. The artists flatter him and ply him with wine and get him to talk about his amorous adventures. When Benoît says he is being unfaithful to his wife, the bohemians feign indignation and throw him out of the garret without paying the rent. Next, they set off to Café Momus to have some fun, except for Rodolfo who remains behind a little longer to finish an article he is writing. Their neighbour, Mimì, knocks on the door in search of a fire to light her candle from. Rodolfo is dumbstruck by her beauty and lights her candle, but just as she is leaving a draft blows out the flame. To make matters worse, she has dropped her house key onto the floor. Rodolfo immediately puts out his candle, pretending it was the draft and they start to look for the key together. The poet touches Mimì’s hand in the darkness and a spark of passion ignites between the two young people. Embracing each other they set off to find Rodolfo’s friends.
ACT II
A Plaza in the Latin Quarter of Paris in front of Café Momus. It is dark and the crowds are celebrating Christmas in the street. There are tables outside the café and the shops are decorated with Christmas lights. Rodolfo gives Mimì a hat he has bought in a shop. They then go to the café and the poet introduces Mimì to his friends, who greet her affectionately and make ready to have dinner.
Musetta, Marcello’s former girlfriend, appears, who is dressed luxuriously, accompanied by the old millionaire Alcindoro. They sit at a nearby table and Musetta tries to make Marcello jealous, but he appears to ignore her provocation. Musetta starts to make a scene to attract the attention of her former lover. Suddenly, she pretends she has a nail stuck in her shoe and makes Alcindoro go out to buy her a new pair. Taking advantage of the old man’s absence, Marcello and Musetta embrace passionately. The friends join a military parade that is passing through the plaza, leaving their drinks unpaid saying that Alcindoro will pay for them.
ACT III
At the tollgate at the Barrière d’Enfer on the outskirts of Paris. A cold February morning. It is snowing. Mimì goes to the establishment where Marcello, Rodolfo and Musetta are staying. Alone with Marcello, she tells him that her relationship with Rodolfo is getting difficult because of the constant, unfounded jealousy of her lover. Marcello comforts her and promises that he will take the matter up with his friend when he wakes up.
When Mimì has gone, Rodolfo appears and openly tells his friend Marcello that he is planning on leaving Mimì. The girl, who is hiding near them, listens to the conversation. Rodolfo tells Marcello that it is true that his jealously is getting the better of him, but what hurts him most is that he sees Mimì sickening and can do nothing to cure her. Mimì starts to cry and cough from her hiding place and is surprised by Rodolfo. The lovers talk about their situation and agree to stay together until after the winter to make their parting easier to cope with. Meanwhile, Musetta, inside the establishment, has started a heated argument with Marcello.
ACT IV
Back in the garret. Winter has passed. Marcello and Rodolfo are working trying to forget their heartaches from their respective relationships with Musetta and Mimì. Schaunard and Colline appear with a herring and some bread. There is nothing else to eat in the house but the four friends eat the herring and bread and joke pretending they are enjoying a slap-up meal, a dance and even a fight. Musetta bursts in the garret bringing an end to the fun and games. She has come with Mimì who, now seriously ill and close to death, wants to see her beloved Rodolfo for the last time. Her friends caringly look after her and do what they can to comfort her. Mimì talks about the happy times she spent with Rodolfo and his friends until she weakens further and dies. Rodolfo breaks down and weeps, wracked with pain.
19th century Paris. Christmas Eve. Four bohemian friends share a garret in the Montmartre district of Paris. The painter Marcello and the poet Rodolfo are working whilst trying to keep warm. They do not have enough wood for the fire and decide to burn the manuscript of Rodolfo’s drama. Colline, the philosopher enters complaining that Christmas Eve has not been a good day to try and pawn some books. Nevertheless, Schaunard the musician arrives, who has had better fortune, and has managed to bring back some firewood, food and drink. The four friends get ready to set about their feast.
Benoît, the landlord, knocks on the door to collect the rent. The artists flatter him and ply him with wine and get him to talk about his amorous adventures. When Benoît says he is being unfaithful to his wife, the bohemians feign indignation and throw him out of the garret without paying the rent. Next, they set off to Café Momus to have some fun, except for Rodolfo who remains behind a little longer to finish an article he is writing. Their neighbour, Mimì, knocks on the door in search of a fire to light her candle from. Rodolfo is dumbstruck by her beauty and lights her candle, but just as she is leaving a draft blows out the flame. To make matters worse, she has dropped her house key onto the floor. Rodolfo immediately puts out his candle, pretending it was the draft and they start to look for the key together. The poet touches Mimì’s hand in the darkness and a spark of passion ignites between the two young people. Embracing each other they set off to find Rodolfo’s friends.
ACT II
A Plaza in the Latin Quarter of Paris in front of Café Momus. It is dark and the crowds are celebrating Christmas in the street. There are tables outside the café and the shops are decorated with Christmas lights. Rodolfo gives Mimì a hat he has bought in a shop. They then go to the café and the poet introduces Mimì to his friends, who greet her affectionately and make ready to have dinner.
Musetta, Marcello’s former girlfriend, appears, who is dressed luxuriously, accompanied by the old millionaire Alcindoro. They sit at a nearby table and Musetta tries to make Marcello jealous, but he appears to ignore her provocation. Musetta starts to make a scene to attract the attention of her former lover. Suddenly, she pretends she has a nail stuck in her shoe and makes Alcindoro go out to buy her a new pair. Taking advantage of the old man’s absence, Marcello and Musetta embrace passionately. The friends join a military parade that is passing through the plaza, leaving their drinks unpaid saying that Alcindoro will pay for them.
ACT III
At the tollgate at the Barrière d’Enfer on the outskirts of Paris. A cold February morning. It is snowing. Mimì goes to the establishment where Marcello, Rodolfo and Musetta are staying. Alone with Marcello, she tells him that her relationship with Rodolfo is getting difficult because of the constant, unfounded jealousy of her lover. Marcello comforts her and promises that he will take the matter up with his friend when he wakes up.
When Mimì has gone, Rodolfo appears and openly tells his friend Marcello that he is planning on leaving Mimì. The girl, who is hiding near them, listens to the conversation. Rodolfo tells Marcello that it is true that his jealously is getting the better of him, but what hurts him most is that he sees Mimì sickening and can do nothing to cure her. Mimì starts to cry and cough from her hiding place and is surprised by Rodolfo. The lovers talk about their situation and agree to stay together until after the winter to make their parting easier to cope with. Meanwhile, Musetta, inside the establishment, has started a heated argument with Marcello.
ACT IV
Back in the garret. Winter has passed. Marcello and Rodolfo are working trying to forget their heartaches from their respective relationships with Musetta and Mimì. Schaunard and Colline appear with a herring and some bread. There is nothing else to eat in the house but the four friends eat the herring and bread and joke pretending they are enjoying a slap-up meal, a dance and even a fight. Musetta bursts in the garret bringing an end to the fun and games. She has come with Mimì who, now seriously ill and close to death, wants to see her beloved Rodolfo for the last time. Her friends caringly look after her and do what they can to comfort her. Mimì talks about the happy times she spent with Rodolfo and his friends until she weakens further and dies. Rodolfo breaks down and weeps, wracked with pain.
