This love story becomes the central focus of the rest of the opera. Rodolfo decides to stay behind to tend to Mimi, and in the dark, they fall in love. Just as the group is about to leave for dinner, they are interrupted by their neighbour Mimi who is overcome with illness. While arias are still used, this musical structure seemed to comprise most of the opera. While the four sing as an opera ensemble, much of their singing seems to consist entirely of what sounds like continuous recitative, perhaps a representation of how Romantic opera had evolved to consist of uninterrupted music rather than fragmented numbers. Despite near-destitution, the pair live happy and humble lives, frolicking with their other friends, a musician and a philosopher. As we enter 1830’s Paris, we are introduced to the artist Marcello and his friend Rodolfo, a poet. This captures the sentiment of Romantic era operas, where the voice seems to lead and is the main source of passion and emotion the orchestra existing mainly as an accompaniment to the voice. Instead the orchestra gives only a brief musical introduction that leads directly into singing. After an initial debut at Teatro Regio in Turin in 1896, it has captivated audience for over 100 years.Īs the opera begins, there is the lack of an overture, as one would expect from a baroque or classical era opera. No doubt influence by Giuseppi Verdi, his operas typically focused on love stories and tragedies, set to beautifully lyrical melodies. I had attended two other Puccini operas performed by VO in the past, Madame Butterfly and Turandot, so naturally, I was very excited to see La Boheme for the first time! Puccini was an Italian opera composer of the late 19 thcentury. 19, 2019, I attended an incredible performance of Giacomo Puccini’s La Boheme, staged by the Vancouver Opera (VO).

La boheme opera short synopsis