Performance Dates
Giacomo Puccini's popular opera, La bohème, is set on Christmas Eve. Tickets are still available for:03 January 2025. Tickets always sell out, so we advise booking early. ---------------------------------------------------------
La bohème begins on Christmas Eve. It tells the story of Rodolfo, a penniless writer who falls in love with Mimì, a young seamstress. However, Mimì is gravely ill with consumption, and Rodolfo decides to end the relationship so she can find a rich lover and thus rescue her health.La bohème is based on Henri Murget's novel "Scènes de la Vie de Bohème" (Scenes of Bohemian Life), which contains all the elements of a strong operatic story line: youth, love, passion and tears shed in silence. La bohème was composed by Giacomo Puccini between 1893 and 1895 to an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa. It premiered on 01 February 1896 in Turin and is one of the most popular operas of all time.
Act I begins in Paris on Christmas Eve 1830. Marcello and Rodolfo have to burn pages of Rodolfo’s manuscript to keep warm in their freezing cold garret while Marcello paints. Colline and Schaunard arrive with food, fuel and some luxuries Schaunard has received from an elderly man he helped. The four friends decide to celebrate Christmas by visiting their favourite Bohemian café. Their landlord, Benoit, arrives to collect the overdue rent. Benoit used to be one of their friends until he married a wealthy woman. They encourage Benoit to join them and drink merrily as Benoit boasts of his affairs. Eventually they throw Benoit out of the garret and leave for the café, Rodolfo decides to stay behind and write a little more but promises he’ll join them.
There is a knock at the door and Rodolfo meets Mimi, a neighbour, whose candle has gone out in the cold. Rodolfo lights it for her but Mimi becomes faint and drops her key. The candles blow out and they search for the key on the floor. Rodolfo finds the key but he hides it to be with Mimi longer. During their search, they touch hands and Rodolfo is shocked to see how cold Mimi’s hands are. Mimi and Rodolfo discuss their backgrounds and what they do for a living. During their conversation, they realise that they are falling in love with one another.
Rodolfo’s friends call up from the street for him to join them and he and Mimi leave to join his friends celebrate the festivities.
Act II
The friends gather at the café where they introduce themselves to Mimi. During the festivities, Marcello’s former love, Musetta, loudly alerts the guests to her presence. Even though she has arrived with her wealthy elderly lover, Alcindoro, she tries to seduce Marcello. Marcello, at first, resists her charms but eventually succumbs when Musetta sends Alcindoro on an errand. The friends, who are struggling for money, wonder how they will pay their bill. Musetta tells the waiter to charge the meal to Alcindoro’s account.
The group hear the sound of soldiers outside and, hoisting Musetta on their shoulders, they run outside to join them. When Alcindoro returns to the café, he is shocked to learn Musetta has disappeared with her friends and left him with the bill.
Act III
Two months have passed, and in the cold February wind, Mimi appears weakened and distressed. Finding Marcello outside a tavern, she tells him how Rodolfo’s jealousy is driving them apart. Rodolfo had left her the night previously and she is thinks that it is best if they no longer see each other. When Rodolfo arrives at the tavern, Mimi hides, leading Marcello to believe she has left. Rodolfo complains about Mimi’s flirtatious behaviour but feels guilty because she is severely ill and he can’t afford to help her. Mimi’s coughing fit alerts the two men to her presence and she tells them that she will bear no unkind feelings towards Rodolfo if they separated. Rodolfo and Mimi sing about their love and how they had happy times together. Marcello enters the tavern to see Musetta entertaining herself by flirting with a stranger. Incensed, the two argue and separate angrily. Meanwhile Mimi and Rodolfo agree to stay together until the spring.
Act IV
Back in the garret, Marcello complains about Musetta’s dalliance with a wealthy man, while Rodolfo is deeply missing Mimi who has disappeared. Colline and Schaunard arrive with alcohol and food in an attempt to cheer up their friends. During their celebrations, Musetta appears at the garret and explains that a very weak Mimi is outside asking to come in. Rodolfo brings her in and lays her down on a cot where her friends gather around her. Musetta sends Marcello to fetch medicine and a doctor by offering her earrings to sell. Musetta leaves to find something to warm Mimi’s hands while Colline decides to sell his coat to buy food for Mimi. Rodolfo talks to Mimi about how happy they were together and tells her to remember their first meeting where the candles went out. Mimi falls into unconsciousness just as Musetta and Marcello return with the equipment. Before the doctor can arrive, Mimi succumbs to her illness and dies, leaving Rodolfo heartbroken. |
