Interesting Facts
An opera in four acts, music by Giacomo Puccini; words by Giuseppe Giacosa and Luigi Illica, based on Henri Murger’s book, Scenes de la Vie de Bohème.
Premiered, Teatro Reggio, Turin, February 1, 1896 with Arturo Toscanini conducting.
CHARACTERS
RUDOLPH, a poet……………………Tenor
MARCEL, a painter…………………………………….Baritone
COLLINE, a philosopher……………………………….Bass
SCHAUNARD, a musician……………………………..Baritone
BENOIT, a landlord…………………………………….Bass
ALCINDORO, a state councilor………………………..Bass
MUSETTA, a singer……………………………………Soprano
MIMI, a seamstress………..…………………………...Soprano
Synopsis from The Metropolitan Opera website:
ACT I. In their Latin Quarter garret, the near-destitute artist Marcello and poet Rodolfo try to keep warm on Christmas Eve by feeding the stove with pages from Rodolfo’s latest drama. They are soon joined by their roommates—Colline, a young philosopher, and Schaunard, a musician, who brings food, fuel, and funds he has collected from an eccentric student. While they celebrate their unexpected fortune, the landlord, Benoit, comes to collect the rent. As his friends depart to celebrate at the Café Momus, Rodolfo promises to join them later, remaining behind to try to write. There is another knock at the door; the visitor is a pretty neighbor, Mimì, whose candle has gone out on the drafty stairway. Mimì realizes she lost her key, and, as the two search for it, both candles are blown out. In the darkness, Rodolfo finds the key and slips it into his pocket. In the moonlight the poet takes the girl’s shivering hand, telling her his dreams (“Che gelida manina”). She then recounts her life alone in a lofty garret, embroidering flowers and waiting for the spring (“Mi chiamano Mimì”).
ACT II. Amid the shouts of street hawkers, Rodolfo buys Mimì a bonnet near the Café Momus and then introduces her to his friends; they all sit down and order supper. Marcello’s former sweetheart, Musetta, makes a noisy entrance on the arm of the elderly but wealthy Alcindoro. She complains that her shoe pinches, sending Alcindoro off to fetch a new pair. The moment he is gone, she falls into Marcello’s arms and tells the waiter to charge everything to Alcindoro.
ACT III. Mimì wanders the city, searching for the place where Marcello and Musetta now live. Rodolfo, who has been asleep in the tavern, wakes and comes outside. Mimì hides nearby, though Marcello thinks she has gone. The poet first tells Marcello that he wants to separate from his sweetheart, citing her fickleness; pressed for the real reason, he breaks down, saying that her coughing can only grow worse in the poverty they share. Overcome with tears, Mimì stumbles forward to bid her lover farewell (“Donde lieta uscì”) as Marcello runs back into the tavern hearing Musetta’s laughter.
ACT IV. Now separated from their girlfriends, Rodolfo and Marcello lament their loneliness in their garret (“O Mimì, tu più non torni”). Colline and Schaunard bring a meager meal. Musetta bursts in to tell them that Mimì is outside, too weak to come upstairs. As Rodolfo runs to her aid, Musetta relates how Mimì begged to be taken to her lover to die. The poor girl is made as comfortable as possible, while Musetta asks Marcello to sell her earrings for medicine and Colline goes off to pawn his overcoat, which for so long has kept him warm (“Vecchia zimarra”). Left alone (“Sono andati?”), Mimì and Rodolfo wistfully recall their meeting and their first happy days, but she is seized with violent coughing. Schaunard discovers that Mimì is dead, and when Rodolfo at last realizes it, he throws himself despairingly on her body, repeatedly calling her name.
