La bohème
La bohème
La bohème
On Christmas Eve, a spark of love is kindled in Puccini’s passionate opera.
Return for a Christmas treat or experience your first opera with Puccini’s famous love story.
Return for a Christmas treat or experience your first opera with Puccini’s famous love story.
Teatro Real, Madrid, and Lyric Opera of Chicago
Royal Ballet and Opera Principal Julia Rausing Trust
Young RBO is generously made possible by the Sir Lloyd and Lady Dorfman OBE, the Bunting Family, Sir Simon and Lady Robey, the John Browne Charitable Trust and the Laidlaw Opera Trust.
A BOHEMIAN LOVE STORY
It's Christmas Eve and a dusting of snow settles on the streets of Paris.
When Rodolfo, a penniless poet, meets Mimì, a seamstress, they fall instantly in love. Rodolfo introduces Mimì to his bohemian friends Marcello, Colline and Schaunard, and the group heads to Café Momus, where Marcello reunites with his ex-girlfriend Musetta. But the happiness of the friends – and of budding romance – is threatened when Rodolfo learns that Mimì is gravely ill. Can the warmth of friendship – and of young love – sustain the group of bohemians through the hardships of a cold winter?
Background
With its Christmas setting, tender exploration of first love and both humorous and heartbreaking celebration of friendship, La bohème captivates audiences time and time again, making it the perfect choice for your first visit to the opera.
Principal Guest Conductor Designate Speranza Scappucci leads her first Covent Garden stage production. Richard Jones’ beloved staging returns, starring Olga Kulchynska as Mimì, Pene Pati and Stefan Pop as Rodolfo, Mikhail Timoshenko as Marcello and Amina Edris and Simona Mihai as Musetta.
Puccini’s much-loved La bohème
La bohème received its world premiere at Turin’s Teatro Regio in 1896 and its Covent Garden debut the following year. Composer Giacomo Puccini was inspired by Henri Murger’s 1851 episodic novel, Scènes de la vie de bohème (‘Scenes of the bohemian life’). The libretto was written by playwright Luigi Illica and poet Giuseppe Giacosa. It is currently one of the best-loved operas worldwide, and the opera most performed at the Royal Opera House.
A timeless love story
With its soaring love duets, intimate arias and spectacular chorus scenes, Puccini’s timeless Parisian tale has enduring appeal to audiences throughout the ages. Puccini’s beautiful score includes highlights such as ‘Sì, mi chiamano Mimì’ (Yes, they call me Mimì) and ‘Quando m’en vo’ (When I go along), Puccini himself wept at the music of the poignant final scenes.
Cast and Creatives
Creatives
Access
There is lift access and step-free routes to over 100 seats in the Stalls Circle, Balcony and Amphitheatre. There are 10 steps or fewer to some seats in the Stalls Circle, Balcony, Amphitheatre and the Donald Gordon Grand Tier. All seats in the Orchestra stalls are accessed by 9 steps or more. A handheld bell is rung by Front of House staff to signal guests to take their seats before a performance. The bell is loud and can be startling. The bell is rung approximately ten minutes before the show starts and at each interval.
We have an assistive listening system available to use. This opera is sung in Italian with English surtitles. Captions and translations in English will be displayed on screens above the stage and around the auditorium. Captioned performances include additional information alongside the translations, such as changes in music or descriptions of sound effects for D/deaf audiences to enjoy the performance. Audio described guides for La bohème are available on The Royal Ballet and Opera SoundCloud.
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