On tonights encore presentation of the Opera House the late Al Ruocchio (1937-2007) introduces Ruggero Leoncavallos setting of La bohème. Shortly after the unparalleled success of I Pagliacci, Leoncavallo began drafting a libretto based on Henri Murgers novel, Scènes de la vie de Bohème. Apparently, Leoncavallo did not originally intend to set the text himself, for he offered it to Giacomo Puccini knowing that his friend was in search of a verismo book similar to that for Mascagnis Cavalleria rusticana. Puccini sought a text elsewhere, however, and Leoncavallo decided to go ahead with the project himself. As a result, Puccini completed his own La bohème first, in 1896, and Leoncavallos effort has always been overshadowed by its success. Leoncavallos La bohème was first performed on May 6, 1897, at the Teatro La Fenice in Venice, and was moderately successful. In many ways its more realistic than Puccinis. For instance, in the second act, the musician Schaunard performs one of his own compositions, a parody of a Rossini cantata. During this number, the orchestra remains silent as Schaunard accompanies himself at the piano, lending the impression of an evening with a young composer and his friends The opera opens on Christmas Eve at the Café Momus in Paris, where the innkeeper Gaudenzio (tenor Friedrich Lenz) rebukes the Schaunard (baritone Alan Titus) and his artist friends — the painter Marcello (tenor Franco Bonisolli), the philosopher Colline (bass Raimund Grumbach), and the poet Rodolfo (baritone Bernd Weikl) — for their rude behavior in his café. Schaunard promises to reform and convinces Gaudenzio to prepare a Christmas feast for the artists and their lady friends. They sit down to dine, while Musetta (mezzo-soprano Alexandrina Milcheva) gaily sings. The artists eat but cannot pay, and Gaudenzio refuses to let them leave. Barbemuche (bass Alexander Malta) introduces himself and offers to pay the bill. The artists are offended and refuse. They suggest a game of billiards with the loser paying. Barbemuche accepts and loses to Schaunard. In the second act Musetta is evicted from her apartment since her old lover refuses to pay the rent now that she is with Marcello. The party Musetta has planned is almost ruined, but she decides to hold it in the courtyard where all of her furniture has been dumped. The party is a success until the angry tenants pelt the guests with potatoes. In the confusion, Mimì (soprano Lucia Popp) agrees to run off with Viscount Paolo (baritone Jörn Wilsing). The third act takes place in Marcellos garret room. Schaunard and Rodolfo have both been jilted. During the festivities in the courtyard, Mimì had allowed herself to be carried off by Viscount Paolo, but now she returns, motivated by her love for Rodolfo. Musetta begs Mimì to go with her, but she refuses. Angrily, Marcello and Rodolfo force both women to leave the apartment. The final act takes place in Rodolfos garret room. The mens Christmas Eve dinner is interrupted by Mimì, who has been sent away from the hospital. She is dying. Musetta arrives and sends Schaunard off to pawn her jewels and buy medicine. Mimì dies in Rodolfos arms. Heinz Wallberg conducts the Bavarian Radio Chorus and the Munich Radio Orchestra in this 1982 Orfeo recording, CD number C023822H. Please join me next Thursday, September 25th, for two of Jules Massenets shorter works: La Vierge (The Virgin) and Thérèse. Much like Saint-Saëns Samson et Dalila, La Vierge is technically a sacred oratorio. Nevertheless its occasionally performed with costumes and sets in opera houses. Dramatically recounting the story of the Virgin Mary from the Annunciation to her death, it was first performed at the Paris Opéra on May 22, 1880. Thérèse, which was premiered on February 7, 1907 at the Opéra de Monte Carlo, takes place during the French Revolution and concerns a woman torn between her husband and her lover. --Bob Chapman
Posted on: Thu, 18 Sep 2014 23:03:35 +0000
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