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La Bohème
Giacomo Puccini
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Revival
Duration: about 2 ½ hours, one interval |
Duration: about 2 ½ hours, one interval
ACT 1
A GARRET IN PARIS. WINTER.
The painter Marcello and the poet Rodolfo are both trying to work in spite of the bitter cold. Marcello suggests burning his painting of the Red Sea but Rodolfo sacrifices his tragedy instead, because it will smell less than the canvas. Colline, a philosopher, arrives: he has been unable to raise any money. Schaunard comes in with both food and money. He gets very annoyed when he finds that nobody wants to listen to the tale of how he earned it: an eccentric Englishman hired him to play until a nearby parrot was dead ! But the food is to be kept for another day; on Christmas Eve they must go out to dine. At that moment the landlord Benoit arrives to demand the overdue rent. The artists invite him in, ply him with drink and get him to boast of his amorous conquests. Then they pretend moral indignation and chase him away without his money.
Rodolfo has to finish an urgent commission; the other three depart for the Cafe Momus. Almost at once there is a knock at the door. It is Mimi, a young neighbour, whose candle has gone out on the stairs. She is obviously ill and Rodolfo is most attentive. Eventually he lights her candle and she leaves, but returns immediately for her key which she has dropped. Her candle goes out again; he stealthily blows his out, and while they search for the key in the dark his hand touches hers. He assures her it is useless to search for the key in the dark, proceeds to tell her all about himself and finally asks her who she is. She tells him about herself.
The three friends call up from the street and Rodolfo tells them he is not alone. The friends leave for the Cafe Momus; Mimi asks Rodolfo if she may join the party and the act ends as they express their new love for each other.
ACT 2
THE CAFE MOMUS IN THE QUARTIER LATIN.
The Bohemians have assembled. Rodolfo introduces Mimi to his friends and they admit her to their circle in a mock ceremony. The friends order extravagant dishes; all are in high spirits except for Marcello who, as Rodolfo explains to Mimi, is nursing a broken heart.
Enter Musetta, the cause of Marcello's grief, on the arm of Alcindoro, her latest conquest, a wealthy bourgeois. She orders him around and tries to attract Marcello's attention. Much to Alcindoro's embarrassment she breaks into song explaining how everyone is attracted by her beauty and challenging Marcello to resist her. Finally she gets rid of Alcindoro by complaining that her shoes hurt and sending him off for a new pair. As soon as he has left, Musetta and Marcello embrace. The waiter presents them with their bill, but all the money has gone. Musetta instructs him to add it to Alcindoro's bill and when a military procession marches past the cafe they escape with the crowd. The stupefied Alcindoro is left to settle both accounts.
ACT 3
THE OUTSKIRTS OF PARIS. DAWN.
Mimi arrives in search of Marcello, who is once again living with Musetta. He is transforming one of his paintings into a sign for the outside of a tavern while she teaches singing. Mimi, who is coughing incessantly, begs him to help her: life with Rodolfo has become intolerable because of his unreasonable jealousy. Marcello tells her that Rodolfo is inside and begs her not to provoke a scene with him.
Rodolfo comes out of the tavern and Mimi hides, but stays within earshot. First he complains bitterly of Mimi's fickleness saying that he cannot bear to live with her any longer, but when challenged by Marcello to tell the truth, he breaks down and admits that he knows her to be very ill and that he cannot provide food and medicine for her. Mimi bursts into tears and betrays her presence; they embrace passsionately, Rodolfo at first trying to pretend that he is exaggerating, but he cannot convince her.
At that moment Musetta is heard laughing inside; Marcello rushes into the tavern in a fit of jealousy. Mimi recalls their earlier days of happiness. She asks Rodolfo to pack up her belongings but to keep the pink bonnet that he bought on Christmas Eve as a keep-sake. Unable to part immediately, they agree to stay together until the spring comes and their declarations of love intertwine with the abuse that Marcello and Musetta hurl at each other.
ACT 4
THE GARRET. SPRING.
As in Act 1 Rodolfo and Marcello are trying to work; they pretend to be quite unconcerned about the present whereabouts of their previous loves but Rodolfo keeps looking at Mimi's pink bonnet and Marcello finds that, whatever he wants to paint, his brush produces Musetta's face. The other friends arrive with bread and a herring; they pretend to be at a banquet, which then develops into a dance and a mock duel.
Suddenly Musetta bursts in; she has found Mimi, exhausted and ill. She wants to die where she was happiest - with Rodolfo. There is no food, no wine, no medicine. Mimi complains of her cold hands and Musetta gives Marcello her earrings to pawn so that they can get a doctor and buy a muff. They leave together. Colline decides to pawn his old overcoat and leaves for the pawnshop, taking Schaunard with him.
Rodolfo and Mimi are alone. She tells him how, while they were apart, she always loved him; they recall their first meeting and she confesses that she knew he had found the key that he was pretending to search for. Musetta and Marcello arrive with medicine and the muff. Musetta prays for Mimi's recovery, but in vain. Rodolfo thinks she is resting, but the uneasy
silence of his friends tells him the truth.
A GARRET IN PARIS. WINTER.
The painter Marcello and the poet Rodolfo are both trying to work in spite of the bitter cold. Marcello suggests burning his painting of the Red Sea but Rodolfo sacrifices his tragedy instead, because it will smell less than the canvas. Colline, a philosopher, arrives: he has been unable to raise any money. Schaunard comes in with both food and money. He gets very annoyed when he finds that nobody wants to listen to the tale of how he earned it: an eccentric Englishman hired him to play until a nearby parrot was dead ! But the food is to be kept for another day; on Christmas Eve they must go out to dine. At that moment the landlord Benoit arrives to demand the overdue rent. The artists invite him in, ply him with drink and get him to boast of his amorous conquests. Then they pretend moral indignation and chase him away without his money.
Rodolfo has to finish an urgent commission; the other three depart for the Cafe Momus. Almost at once there is a knock at the door. It is Mimi, a young neighbour, whose candle has gone out on the stairs. She is obviously ill and Rodolfo is most attentive. Eventually he lights her candle and she leaves, but returns immediately for her key which she has dropped. Her candle goes out again; he stealthily blows his out, and while they search for the key in the dark his hand touches hers. He assures her it is useless to search for the key in the dark, proceeds to tell her all about himself and finally asks her who she is. She tells him about herself.
The three friends call up from the street and Rodolfo tells them he is not alone. The friends leave for the Cafe Momus; Mimi asks Rodolfo if she may join the party and the act ends as they express their new love for each other.
ACT 2
THE CAFE MOMUS IN THE QUARTIER LATIN.
The Bohemians have assembled. Rodolfo introduces Mimi to his friends and they admit her to their circle in a mock ceremony. The friends order extravagant dishes; all are in high spirits except for Marcello who, as Rodolfo explains to Mimi, is nursing a broken heart.
Enter Musetta, the cause of Marcello's grief, on the arm of Alcindoro, her latest conquest, a wealthy bourgeois. She orders him around and tries to attract Marcello's attention. Much to Alcindoro's embarrassment she breaks into song explaining how everyone is attracted by her beauty and challenging Marcello to resist her. Finally she gets rid of Alcindoro by complaining that her shoes hurt and sending him off for a new pair. As soon as he has left, Musetta and Marcello embrace. The waiter presents them with their bill, but all the money has gone. Musetta instructs him to add it to Alcindoro's bill and when a military procession marches past the cafe they escape with the crowd. The stupefied Alcindoro is left to settle both accounts.
ACT 3
THE OUTSKIRTS OF PARIS. DAWN.
Mimi arrives in search of Marcello, who is once again living with Musetta. He is transforming one of his paintings into a sign for the outside of a tavern while she teaches singing. Mimi, who is coughing incessantly, begs him to help her: life with Rodolfo has become intolerable because of his unreasonable jealousy. Marcello tells her that Rodolfo is inside and begs her not to provoke a scene with him.
Rodolfo comes out of the tavern and Mimi hides, but stays within earshot. First he complains bitterly of Mimi's fickleness saying that he cannot bear to live with her any longer, but when challenged by Marcello to tell the truth, he breaks down and admits that he knows her to be very ill and that he cannot provide food and medicine for her. Mimi bursts into tears and betrays her presence; they embrace passsionately, Rodolfo at first trying to pretend that he is exaggerating, but he cannot convince her.
At that moment Musetta is heard laughing inside; Marcello rushes into the tavern in a fit of jealousy. Mimi recalls their earlier days of happiness. She asks Rodolfo to pack up her belongings but to keep the pink bonnet that he bought on Christmas Eve as a keep-sake. Unable to part immediately, they agree to stay together until the spring comes and their declarations of love intertwine with the abuse that Marcello and Musetta hurl at each other.
ACT 4
THE GARRET. SPRING.
As in Act 1 Rodolfo and Marcello are trying to work; they pretend to be quite unconcerned about the present whereabouts of their previous loves but Rodolfo keeps looking at Mimi's pink bonnet and Marcello finds that, whatever he wants to paint, his brush produces Musetta's face. The other friends arrive with bread and a herring; they pretend to be at a banquet, which then develops into a dance and a mock duel.
Suddenly Musetta bursts in; she has found Mimi, exhausted and ill. She wants to die where she was happiest - with Rodolfo. There is no food, no wine, no medicine. Mimi complains of her cold hands and Musetta gives Marcello her earrings to pawn so that they can get a doctor and buy a muff. They leave together. Colline decides to pawn his old overcoat and leaves for the pawnshop, taking Schaunard with him.
Rodolfo and Mimi are alone. She tells him how, while they were apart, she always loved him; they recall their first meeting and she confesses that she knew he had found the key that he was pretending to search for. Musetta and Marcello arrive with medicine and the muff. Musetta prays for Mimi's recovery, but in vain. Rodolfo thinks she is resting, but the uneasy
silence of his friends tells him the truth.
