La bohème

A lost key, an extinguished candle and an accidental touch in the dark – ‘Che gelida manina…’.  So begins one of the great, tragic romances of all opera as the cold hands of the fragile seamstress Mimì warm the heart of the poet Rodolfo in lyrical seduction. Puccini’s gloriously tuneful work follows their story through a year from that first meeting through jealous separation to a poignant death-bed reconciliation. Around them the spirit of bohemian life is brought to life through the fiery temper of Musetta and her lover, the painter Marcello, and a myriad of other colourful characters from the streets of 1830s Paris. John Copley’s popular production is revived with all the authentic period detail of the designs by the late Julia Trevelyan Oman. With Cristina Gallardo-Domas again as Mimì, Roberto Aronica playing Rodolfo for The Royal Opera for the first time and Christian Badea conducting, and we have the potent combination of great music and intense passion in live performance.

Running time: 2 hours 45 minutes
Sung in Italian with English surtitles

CREDITS
Composer
Giacomo Puccini
Director
John Copley
Associate Director
Richard Gregson
Designs
Julia Trevelyan Oman
Lighting
William Bundy

PERFORMERS
Conductor
Christian Badea
Rodolfo
Roberto Aronica
Mimì
Cristina Gallardo Domas
Marcello
Franco Vassallo
Schaunard
Roderick Williams
Colline
Matthew Rose
Musetta
Nicole Cabell
Benoit
Jeremy White
Alcindoro
Donald Maxwell
Parpignol
Alan Duffield
Sergeant
Bryan Secombe
Customs Officer
Jonathan Coad