By Puccini
(Property of Q. Ricordi & C'o.)
As performed by the BRITISH NATIONAL OPERA COMPANY
Relayed from the King's Theatre, Edinburgh
Cast:
Conductor, JOHN BARBIROLLI.
Produced by GEORGE KING
ACT I. The Students' Attic
ACT II. A Street in the Latin Quarter
Act III. The Toll Gate
Act IV. The Students' Attic
Synopsis
To 'La Vie de Boheme,' Mursor's famous novel, are we indebted for the origin and inspiration < t Puccini's 'La Boheme,' presenting to us so fascinatingly the romance and tragedy of the Parisian Latin Quarter.
Poet, Painter, Philosopher and Musician, living together in absolute harmony despite their abject poverty, are Rudolph, Marcel, Colline and Schaunard -
reckless, adventurous, as youths will be. We discover Rudolph and Marcel in their attic, without food, without coal, when Colline and Schaunard return. By playing for a gentleman anxious to have drowned the noise of a neighbour's parrot, Schaunard has earned money long wanted. A Feast at the Cafe Momus is proposed, and they set out to dine, leaving Rudolph to stay and finish an article. Mimi, a seamstress, knocks and, entering, asks for a light for her candle which has blown out. Impressed by Mimi's beauty, Rudolph hides her key, and pretends to help her to look for it. They declare their love for each other and set out to join their friends.
At the Cafe Momus, where Act II is laid, it is Christmas Eve and festivities are at their full height. The poet has bought Mimi a new hat, and with her is seated at the Bohemians' table. To the amusement of his friends, Marcel is greatly agitated when Musetta, an old sweetheart, enters the cafe, accompanied by Alcindoro, a rich admirer. Musetta observing Marcel, and tiring of her wealthy friend's company, eventually rids herself of Alcindoro by bidding him go out and buy her a pair of new shoes. and runs to Marcel's waiting arms.
Act III takes us to the Toll Gate after a lapse of some two months. The Act is a sequence of quarrels and reconciliations. The lovers cannot agree to live with each other, and yet cannot live apart. Heartbroken at being unable to help Mimi, who is suffering from consumption, Rudolph explains to Marcel that he wants a separation from her, when Mimi's sobs from behind a tree, where she is hiding, reveal her presence to Rudolph, and the lovers fall into each other's arms.
The last Act is back at the Bohemians' garret. Pretending that it is a banquet, Rudolph and Marcel make light of their scanty meal of bread and herring. The meal is interrupted by the entrance of Musetta with grave tidings of poor Mimi. Mimi is brought in ill and cold. All efforts to help the dying girl fail and as Rudolph draws the curtains, Mimi falls back on his hard little bed, never to rise again.
(This synopsis appears by permission of Messrs. G. Ricordi and Co., proprietors of the Opera, whose copyright it is.)
During the intervals between the Acts, GLADYS WARD will give Readings from the Birmingham Studio.
