La Boheme

The story of Rodolfo the poet, Marcello the painter, Schaunard the musician and Colline the philosopher. Marcello is rather more tempestuous in love, with the fiery but ultimately devoted Musetta; Rodolfo is more the dreamy romantic who falls in love with the seamstress Mimi.

I was introduced to it through a video of the Covent Garden production directed by John Copley (I've met him, but that's another story), still being revived over 30 years later, and we'll look at some clips of that production to explore some of the more familiar music.

(A synopsis can be found here: http://www.metoperafamily.org/metopera/history/stories/synopsis.aspx?id=7 . A more detailed article here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_boheme )

In the last post, we heard four tenors singing Che gelida manina. In response, Mimi sings her own aria, Si, mi chiamano Mimi; Yes, they call me Mimi. (Note how Mimi sees herself through others' eyes, not even beginning with my name is...., suggesting shyness, perhaps.) They are interrupted by the shouts of Rodolfo's friends outside, before singing of their new love (with a bit of cheekiness) in the duet O soave fanciulla, O sweet girl and heading out into the streets of Christmas Eve.

Ileana Cotrubas sings Mimi, Neil Shicoff sings Rodolfo. Cotrubas's voice sounds both sweet and tired, plaintive: just right for her naive simple young girl characterisation. It was one of her major roles, alongside Violetta in La Traviata. See how she rises with the music: the sun comes out and both the orchestra and Mimi blossom. As the couple going out singing Amor! Love!, Mimi rises to a high C: Rodolfo sings in harmony. But it is not uncommon for tenors to sing the same musical line as the soprano so they can fit in another high C. Personally, I prefer the harmony: to me, it sounds more tender.

The second act takes place that Christmas Eve at a cafe where Musetta, accompanied by her elderly admirer, uses her wiles to get back with her ex, Marcello. She uses a waltz to seduce him, and when he gives in, not only he but everyone sings to Musetta's tune. Marilyn Zschau sings Musetta, Thomas Allen (more of him later) sings Marcello.

Act three is short, about 15 minutes, and is the emotional heart of the opera. If the second act is all lightness and fun, this is where emotions become more serious and awkward. Mimi decides to leave Rodolfo and explains her reasons in her aria Donde lieta usci but we'll pick it up from Rodolfo's reaction. Mimi and Rodolfo bid each other goodbye but it is clear from the music, with its soaring lines, that they do not really wish to part. Their romantic farewells contrast sharply with the jealous bickering of Marcello and Musetta (and how bitter does Marcello look at the end). And this is where opera comes into its own: for no matter whether you can understand the words or not, the music tells you everything you need to know.

The last act finds us back where we started, but behind the smiles of the two friends, there is a sadness for what they have known and lost. O Mimi tu piu non torni, O Mimi you will not return. Like any great dramatist, Puccini juxtaposes his comedy with his tragedy, taking great care over the timing of Musetta's entrance (there is no singing before it so the key change and chord is perhaps even more noticeable and sudden).

If you enjoyed this performance, it's available on dvd: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Puccini-Boheme-Royal-Opera-Gardelli and in chunks on youtube starting here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z85ChzPJxQY 

We'll come back to La Boheme in future posts. But you may never watch Moonstruck in the same way again.