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11. The Bohemian Life Henry Murger published most of his Scenes from Bohemian Life serially between 1847 and 1849; he later collected them into a novel (1851), adding some connective tissue and tying up a few loose ends. So it is not surprising the Puccini's opera La bohème (1986) also takes the form of relatively short acts, with time elapsing between them. But it was another composer, Ruggiero Leoncavallo, who first drew Puccini's attention to the Murger; he even offered him a libretto. But Puccini went his own way, and Leoncavallo composed his text himself. Knowing it was truer to the spirit of the original, Leoncavallo expected it to conquer at its premiere a year later. Instead, it was quickly forgotten—which is a pity, as it contains much fine music.

PREPARING FOR THE CLASS. Although the Murger is available complete in English translation online, it contains so much that was not set by either composer that it is likely to be more confusing than helpful. So the best preparation is probably to read one or other version of the handout above.

The script, images, and video links will be posted immediately after the first class.
 

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The situation of the two operas on YouTube exactly parallels their relative fate in popular esteem: there are numerous complete videos of the Puccini, plus excerpts and arias galore; the Leoncavallo has only a couple of audio recordings and an aria or two.

LEONCAVALLO. The Vienna production we watched is not generally available. Instead, I include all the numbers we heard in class, cued to an audio recording. This is complete, however, so you can listen all the way through. I also include a link to a recent video of the central scenes of Act III, produced in the time of COVID in a modern setting with piano accompaniment; its advantage is that it has English titles, but it has zero charisma.

PUCCINI. I include the complete 1965 Zeffirelli film, cued to the clips we saw in class; these are the only links below that are the same. I also include the complete Zeffirelli production on stage at the Met, with Kristine Opolais and Vittorio Grilgolo; the video is a bit dark, but the performances are fine, and it has titles. Finally, also titled in English, I attach a 1986 production from Genoa with the great Luciano Pavarotti and a less well-known supporting cast; vocally, he blows everyone else out of the water!
 

LEONCAVALLO
  Audio   Act 1: Musette's song
Act 1: Marcello/Musette duet
Act 2: Bohemian anthem
Act 2: Viscount and Mimi
Act 3: Musette's departure
Act 4: Mimi's death
  Video   Act 3, from Musette's letter (staged with piano)
 
PUCCINI
  Zeffirelli film, 1965   Act 1: Mimi's entrance (all as played in class)
Act 2: opening
Act 3: ending (quartet)
Act 4: from Mimi's entrance
  Zeffirelli at the Met   Act 1
Act 2
Act 3
Act 4
  Pavarotti, Genoa 1986   Acts 1 and 2
Acts 3 and 4

           
IMAGES
The thumbnails below cover the slides shown in class. Click the thumbnail to see a larger image.
Click on the right or left of the larger picture to go forward or back, or outside it to close.
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