Giacomo Puccini:
La Bohème; Che gelida manina, and Si, mi chiamano Mimi
Love is in the air again, but this time the question is who is the best woman to fall in love with? Why the one who is dying of course! What is more romantic than just barely getting to know each other and then being separated by the great unknown? Classic!
Puchini’s La Bohème Yet again we find ourselves watching a magnificent opera about a love that is doomed to die…. literally. Of course, that doesn’t happen until the end. Along the way there has to be some ‘he said’, ‘she said’ betrayal, heartbreak, cheating, getting together again, and tragedy. So disclaimer, this is NOT the piece to base your ideal relationship off of. Sorry. Just isn’t going to work out very well. Trust me on this one.
Composed by Puccini in 1896, with Librettist Giuseppe Giacosa and Luigi Illica, modeled after a novel by Henri Murger, La Bohème quickly gained international acclaim and recognition. Within a year of its world premier in Italy, performances were seen all over the world, beginning in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and not long after that, in Los Angels, and New York.
This was great success for Puccini, who would go on to compose several other very prolific pieces including “Madam Butterfly”. Although he was trained as an organist in churches, and wrote much sacred vocal music, he is most well know for his amazingly beautiful, and passionate operas, composing 12 operas in total.
But what is La Bohème really about? Well, the story line is a little confusing, sung in 4 acts. Rodolfo, the main character, is a poor poet, struggling to make ends meet along with his 4 friends. One friend comes home with some money he was able to earn, and decides that the best way to use it is to spend it all on a fancy evening rather than paying their landlord (seriously? Is this opera trying to teach any good morals? I guess it’s just entertainment!) Rodolfo meets his beautiful neighbor Mimi and end up spending so much time together, that His friends call to him to hurry up, or he’ll miss the fun. So, Mimi and Rodolfo go paint the town together! BUT, after dating for a few months, the relationship is doomed! Mimi has a life threatening illness, but Rodolfo has no money to pay for the medicine. They both agree that the only option is to separate so Mimi has a chance to marry a rich man. In the end, Mimi leaves her rich husband, and wanders back to Rodolfo weak and dying. AND in classic tragic fashion, just as his friends arrive with medicine, and a doctor, Mimi passes away in her true loves arms.
There are two songs that define the plot of the opera: their first meeting. As Mimi searches in the dark for a lost key to her apartment, Rodolfo delays her, introducing himself, and asking her about her background. As they sing to each other, they discover a common desire for the romantic: Rodolfo describing his wealth of love, imagination and chivalry, and Mimi describing her love of sewing and nature. The music reinforces the messages of each singer. As Rodolfo describes that her beautiful eyes have stolen his dreams and fantasies, the music turns minor, but returns to the major key as he passionately pronounces that he does not mind because of the love and hope he feels because of her. Similarly, the rich harmonies swell to a dramatic climax in Mimi’s song when she describes her beautiful feelings in smelling a new rose.
