“La Bohème” is Giacomo Puccini’s Italian opera about love and loss in the bohemian world of 1830’s Paris. The story helped defined our modern concept of the bohemian artist.
It premiered at the Teatro Regio in Turin, Italy in 1896, and at the Metropolitan Opera in 1900. Today, the tragic love story of Mimi and Rodolfo is the world’s most popular opera.
La Bohème 2021-22
This is the 40th anniversary of Franco Zeffirelli’s production. There are three casts this season in November, January and May.
Get tickets for shows between November 9, 2021 and May 27, 2022 at metopera.org
November Cast
Sun Sun Kim conducts. She is one of this year’s crop of female conductors. 🇰🇷
Romanian soprano Anita Hartig is Mimi. 🇷🇴
Italian tenor Charles Castronovo is Rodolfo. 🇮🇹
- Tuesday, November 9, 2021 at 7pm.
- Saturday, November 13, 2021 at 8pm.
- Wednesday, November 17, 2021 at 7:30pm.
- Saturday, November 20, 2021 at 1pm.
- Friday, November 26, 2021 at 7pm.
- Monday, November 29, 2021 at 8pm.
- Friday, December 3, 2021 at 7pm.
January Cast
Carlos Rizzi conducts. 🇮🇹
Italian soprano Maria Agresta is Mimi. 🇮🇹
Italian tenor Charles Castronovo is Rodolfo. 🇮🇹
- Sunday, January 9, 2022 at 3pm.
- Thursday, January 13, 2022 at 7pm.
- Tuesday, January 18, 2022 at 7pm.
- Saturday, January 22, 2022 at 1pm.
May Cast
Sun Sun Kim conducts. She is one of this year’s crop of female conductors. 🇰🇷
Italian soprano Eleanora Buratto is Mimi. 🇮🇹
Azerbaijani tenor Yusif Eyvazov is Rodolfo. 🇦🇿
- Monday, May 16, 2022 at 8pm.
- Friday, May 20, 2022 at 8pm.
- Tuesday, May 24, 2022 at 8pm.
- Friday, May 27, 2022 at 8pm.
Franco Zeffirelli Production
Zeffirelli (Italian, 1923) is a filmmaker who is best known for his version of Romeo and Juliet (1968), and The Taming of the Shrew (1967) starring Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton.
He produced La Bohéme, Tosca, Turandot, and Don Giovanni for the Metropolitan Opera.
La Bohème Setting
The story is set in 1830s Paris when the prototypes of the modern bohemian artist were first established.
Today the same story plays itself out in every urban center including right here in New York City.
La Bohème Roles
- Mimì, a seamstress.
- Rodolfo, a young poet.
- Musetta, a singer.
- Marcello, a painter.
- Schaunard, a musician.
La Bohème Synopsis
La Bohéme tells the story of Rodolfo, a young poet, and Mimi, an embroiderer and their bohemian friends. A blown-out candle and a lost key are moments that lead them to fall in love, just as all loves have their magic moments. Rodolfo, Mimi and their friends enjoy a raucous evening at Café Momus. Mimi has tuberculosis and knowing that in his poverty he cannot help her, Rodolfo and Mimi decide to end their relationship, but stay together until the Spring.
Some time later Rodolfo is feeling lonely. Mimi has taken a wealthy patron and is seen dressed like a queen. Some time later, Mimi is found on the street very weak from her tuberculosis. Rodolfo brings her in and they reminisce about falling in love and their happy times together. Mimi dies in his arms as Rodolfo laments.
La Bohème 2018-19
The Metropolitan Opera performs La Bohème eleven times between September 25 and December 13, 2018. James Gaffigan conducts.
Nicole Car & Vittorio Grigolo lead the fall cast
Nicole Car (Met debut) and Italian tenor Vittorio Grigolo open as Mimi and Rodolfo. French – Canadian baritone Etienne Dupuis opens Marcello.
Ailyn Pérez & Michael Fabiano lead the spring cast
Mexican – American soprano Ailyn Pérez and Italian – American tenor Michael Fabiano close as Mimi and Rodolfo.
La Bohème 2017-18
This is Franco Zeffirelli’s classic production.
Angel Blue, Anita Hartig, and Sonya Yoncheva share the role of Mimi.
Dmytro Popov, Russell Thomas, and Michael Fabiano share the role of the poet Rodolfo.
Alexander Soddy conducts in October and November. Marco Armiliato conducts in February and March.