La Boheme Tickets

About the Show:

One of the most popular operas in history, La Boheme is a dramatic opera in four acts by Giacomo Puccini with an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa. It is loosely based on the book Scenes de la vie de boheme by Henri Murger, a series of vignettes portraying the lives of young bohemians living in 1840s Paris. The story deals with issues of poverty, disease, and love on a roller coaster of emotions that has been leaving audiences both touched and saddened for over a hundred years.

La Boheme premiered at the Teatro Regio in Turin, Italy on February 1, 1896. It was an instant success and productions in other Italian cities soon followed, as did international productions in the following decade, including ones in Argentina, England, Greece, Portugal, Australia, Sweden, Austria, Russia, and the United States. Today, La Boheme is ranked as the world's fourth most-performed opera and has become a cultural institution. It is also the basis of Jonathan Larson's 1996 Pulitzer Prize- and Tony Award-winning musical, Rent, another phenomenon of theatre culture. Get your La Boheme tickets right away to see this legendary opera for yourself!

Plot Synopsis:

Act I: In their Parisian garret on Christmas Eve, 1830, struggling painter Marcello and poet Rodolfo try to keep warm by burning the pages of Rodolfo's manuscript. Their friend, the philosopher Colline, enters from the cold, complaining about being unable to make any money pawning books. Schaunard, another friend and musician, arrives bearing food, wine, and money that he got as a result of landing a job with a wealthy and eccentric Englishman. As they begin devouring food, Schaunard announces that they are to dine at the Cafe Momus instead. Benoit, the landlord, enters, demanding rent, but the friends butter him up and get him tipsy. When he drunkenly admits to having affairs, they throw him out and split the rent money amongst themselves. The Bohemians depart for the cafe, but Rodolfo stays behind to finish some work. Suddenly, Mimi, a seamstress and neighbor, knocks on the door and asks for a light for her candle. When he gives her one, she coyly returns, saying it has blown out again and she has lost her key. As the two stumble around in the dark together, Rodolfo hides the key to spend more time with Mimi; the two get to talking and begin to fall in love.

Act II: On the streets of the Latin Quarter, a great crown has amassed around an open-air market. Rodolfo buys Mimi a bonnet on their way to the Cafe Momus. Once there, the friends are greeted by Musetta, an old flame of Marcello, and her rich, elderly admirer, Alcindoro. Much to his chagrin, she sings a coquettish song in an attempt to get Marcello's attention. Musetta sends Alcindoro away to a cobbler to fix her shoe and immediately reconnects with Marcello. When the bill arrives and proves to be more than they can afford, Musetta arranges to have it charged to Alcindoro and the friends leave. Alcindoro returns to be presented to the bill, at which he is dumbfounded.

Act III: At the snowy toll gate on the outskirts of Paris, Mimi enters, coughing wildly. She finds Marcello, who now lives in a tavern with Musetta, where he paints signs for the innkeeper. She explains that she and Rodolfo have parted because he has become jealous of her flirtatious behavior. When Rodolfo enters, Mimi hides and overhears him telling Marcello that he wants Mimi to find a wealthier man who can pay for her to get medical care for her illness. Mimi can not contain her coughing and is revealed. The pair tries to separate, but their love is too strong, so they resolve to stay together until the spring, when the rebirth of the earth will make their separation easier to bear. Meanwhile, Marcello and Musetta quarrel bitterly.

Act IV: Back in the garret, Marcello and Rodolfo try to forget about their lost loves by busying themselves with work. Colline and Schaunard enter with a pitiful supper and the friends jokingly pretend they are having a feast. Musetta enters with Mimi, who has left her new, wealthy viscount and was wandering the streets, getting sicker by the day. Collin, Marcello, and Musetta leave to pawn some things to buy medicine. Schaunard leaves to give Rodolfo and Mimi time alone. They recall their blissful time together and he gives her the pink bonnet he bought her, which he had kept to remember her by. The others return with medicine, but Mimi collapses. While Musetta prays for her, Mimi dies and Rodolfo sobs in anguish.

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