The Play Ground
by Albert
Ok, if you don't already know about the tragic Mimi how can I summarize La Boheme in a few sentences? I can't. But, describing Act I gives a good entre into this classic opera.
Paris, Christmas Eve, c. 1830. In their Latin Quarter garret, two starving artists try to keep warm by burning pages from Rodolfo's latest drama. They are joined by their comrades bring food, fuel and funds. Meanwhile, the landlord arrives to collect the rent. There is another knock: a neighbor, Mimì, says her candle has gone out on the drafty stairs. Offering her wine when she feels faint, Rodolfo relights her candle and helps her to the door. Mimì realizes she has dropped her key, and as the two search for it, both candles are blown out. In the moonlight the poet takes the girl's shivering hand, telling her his dreams. She then recounts her solitary life, embroidering flowers and waiting for spring. Drawn to each other, Mimì and Rodolfo leave for the café. Sigh.
La Boheme by Guiacomo Puccini, Arbor Opera Theater, June 15-18, Lydia Mendelssohn Theatre
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I'd say that's a pretty good
I'd say that's a pretty good intro. :) "La Boheme" is also part of the story foundation upon which Jonathan Larson wrote "Rent". A lot of the storyline of "Rent" parallels the storyline of "La Boheme". Mr. Larson took it, combined it with things from his own personal life, brought in modern day equivalents of a few things along with his own genius talent and voila, "Rent" was born.
So, if you've seen "Rent", either the stage version or the movie version, you have a very rough idea of the storyline for "La Boheme". There are of courses many differences in the two as well, but you'd have at least a very rough idea.
just fyi, we have Rent and a
just fyi, we have [b:1263886|Rent] and [k:boheme and DVD|a couple different version of La Boheme on DVD]