Walid Rahman_wr2255

David Adamcyk_Music Humanities

Second Concert Report
La Bohme by Giacomo Puccini
Period: Romantic (Bohemian)

La Bohme, a production by Giacomo Puccini, is the first opera I have ever seen in my
life. It also happens to be the first major play I have seen in my life. And I must say, it was a
fantastic way to start my adventure in opera and theater. I watched this on Wednesday, April 2
nd

in The Metropolitan Opera House. The room was gigantic, with seats reaching the ceiling. The
spaciousness and overall feel of the opera house gave off a sense of grandeur. It was obvious
that this was something meant for the rich to enjoy. My seat, which was situated extremely high
up, made the stage seem distant, and I could barely catch a glimpse of the orchestra. In front of
me was a small monitor that allowed me to understand the French in which the opera was
sung. Before the performance began, all the lights were turned off, allowing me to focus only on
the stage and the words on my monitor. It was difficult to see more than the basic features of the
set and the opera singers. However, it was enough for me to enjoy the performance.
The first act had a fantastic set: the top of building that gave off a Bohemian vibe. It was
composed of ragged, worn out props that gave a proper 1830s feel. The lighting made it very
romantic, setting up the perfect environment for the events that unfolded. Act I had multiple
sections. It takes place during Christmas Eve in 1830s Paris, France. In the first part of the first
act, the landlord shares an adulterous story to his tenants, the four main male protagonists:
Marcello, Rodolfo, Colline, and Schaunard. The Bohemian tenants are disgusted, and
accompanied by an orchestra that increases the tempo of the music to show the disgust, the
landlord is shoved out. Then all of the friends depart except for Rodolfo, who is met with a
beautiful female guest by the name of Mimi. In search of Mimis fallen key, the two find love in
darkness. The tenor singer, Vittorio Grigolo, who played Rodolfo was a great voice match up
with the soprano singer, Anita Hartig, who played Mimi. Their high registers gave off a
romantic vibe that went well with the scene. The playing of violin during this scene added to the
romantic, midnight ambiance.
From the beginning the use of themes was in play, from the moment the landlord entered
to the moment Mimi came upon stage. This is a common theme of Romantic opera. It also
provided the viewers a way to understand which character was which, something very important
for someone sitting as back in the opera house like me. Also important to note is the different
pitches of the voices of what appeared from the start to be the two main male protagonists,
Marcello and Rodolfo. Marcello, played by Massimo Cavaletti, sang in the baritone pitch. The
big difference in pitches fit well with their occupations. Marcello, being an artist, had a deeper
voice that came off to me as descriptive of the deepness of Bohemian art. On the other hand,
Rodolfo, being a poet, had a higher voice, representing the fluidity and romantic feel of his
poetry. I was able to connect voice with profession and with action- something which I never
thought I could do before.
The most impressive set of the opera was the one used in the next act: a Paris street and
cafe. Its brilliant colors and grandeur offered a new richness. Although the play represents the
lives of a group of Bohemian artists, this set took place in what seemed more like a wealthier
region. It actually turns out that the area is simply a cafe. Regardless of the mismatch in what I
expected of Bohemian streets and what the opera represented, I was impressed. The great
number of people employed to play parts the parts of children and commoners made me
understand just how grand an opera can be. It proved how much effort went into this
production. This is where the acting abilities of the players are fully showcased. Marcellos love
affair with Musetta is introduced. She is the voice of Susanna Phillips, a soprano
singer. Marcellos deep baritone contrasted with Musettas high soprano voice to gives a sense
of exactly what their relationship is like. Marcello is the constant lover, set deep into his love for
Musetta despite her flirtatious attitude. Meanwhile, Musettas fluttering and waving infidelity
was demonstrated by her soft yet quick, high pitched voice. The placement of the actors on stage
was very interesting in this scene because it showed how dynamic an opera can be. A lot of
secondary actors moved around on the stage, following Musetta as she showed herself off. Their
well-trained movement and acting proved to me that an opera isnt simply people singing
elongated notes in a different language. It is a serious play as well, offering multiple dimensions
to the theater. Unfortunately, given my placement in the opera house, I was unable to pay too
much attention to the orchestra. However, I was still able to tell that each character had a
different theme which represented a feeling from their overall role in the story. For example,
Mimis theme felt pleasant, yet somber, representing her short yet beautiful life.
Act III takes place during mid-winter, when Mimi and Rodolfo wish to go separate
ways. The music is much more somber in this section. The dark set allowed me to focus more
on the music. Much of the orchestral music was accompaniment to the voices, embellishing
them to add to their sadness or severity. In this scene, a sick Mimi comes to Marcello for help
about Rodolfo. After Marcello offers her advice and consoles her, Rodolfo enters the scene and
Mimi hides. The set allowed Mimi to hide amongst the trees, a dynamic I had never expected to
see. The set wasnt linear. Its multidimensionality, realness, and darkness allowed me to actually
feel the coldness being represented. Rodolfo explains to Marcello how, despite his calling Mimi
as flirtatious, he actually fears for her life in his Bohemian home, where she is unprotected from
the elements. When Rodolfo shifted from saying negative things about Mimi to speaking his
true intentions, the music disappeared and Rodolfos voice dominated. This allowed his emotion
to be untempered and raw. I felt his combination of pain and longing because of this
unaccompanied section. Soon, Mimi and Rodolfo find each other and decide to part ways until
Spring. Meanwhile, Musetta flirts with another man and she and Marcello split.
In Act IV, Mimi visits Rodolfo again as she is feeling increasingly weak and sick. Before
this occurs, however, Marcello and Rodolfo speak about their true loves through their
expressions in art. Marcello speaks of how his paintings are marked with the eyes of Musetta
and Rodolfo speaks of how his poems represent his longing and love for Mimi. Once Musetta
brings Mimi into the home, everything takes a turn as Rodolfo and Mimi speak again. Her
theme is played one last time. It is revealed that Mimi had always loved Rodolfo and wanted to
see him. The music in this section becomes increasingly more somber and intermittent to
provide a sense of oncoming dread. The actors scramble to get Mimi a doctor and medicine, but
fail. Rodolfo and Mimi remember the past. While Rodolfo turns away to decrease the light in
the room, Mimi passes away. No music plays while this occurs. Only the audience momentarily
knows that Mimi is dead. Everyone is in silence, both wanting to know how Rodolfo will react
and not wanting him to get hurt. However, the opera ends with Rodolfos cry of misery over
Mimis death and the curtains close. In the final act, I believe that the audience played an
important role. The silence in the audience at the moment of Mimis death allowed us to interact
with the players. We became omniscient narrators and felt deeply sorry for Rodolfo.
The opera, as a whole, was brilliant. I loved how the music highlighted the voices of the singers
and how the voices themselves complemented each other. The lack of orchestral music in
certain moments allowed us to receive a greater feeling just from the voice of the actors. I was
moved throughout the play. However, I also received many laughs and smiles. La Bohme
represents a love everyone feels within their lifetimes, whether it is actualized or not. I am glad
that this was the first opera I have ever seen. It has left a great sight in my eyes and wonderful
sound in my ears.