La bohème (8 Jun. 1994)

In the 50's, in Paris, the neighbors Rodolfo and Mimi meet each other when Mimi's candle blows out in a cold and dark night. They immediately fall in love for each other, in times of ... See full summary »

Director:

Geoffrey Nottage

Writers:

Giuseppe Giacosa (libretto), Luigi Illica (libretto),

Stars:

Cheryl Barker, David Hobson, Roger Lemke

Cast

Episode cast overview:
Cheryl Barker	...	Mimì
David Hobson	...	Rodolfo
Roger Lemke	...	Marcello
Christine Douglas	...	Musetta
Gary Rowley	...	Colline
David Lemke	...	Schaunard
John Bolton-Wood	...	Alcindoro
Graeme Ewer	...	Benoît
Jin Tea Kim	...	Parpignol
John Fernon	...	Customes Sergeant
Richard Alexander	...	Customs Officer

Storyline

In the 50's, in Paris, the neighbors Rodolfo and Mimi meet each other when Mimi's candle blows out in a cold and dark night. They immediately fall in love for each other, in times of financial difficulties in the post-war. Rodolfo introduces Mimi to his close friends Marcello and his beloved Musetta; Colline; and Schaunard and together they have a good-time in Café Momus. Some time later, Mimi tells Marcello that she can not support the jealousy of Rodolfo any longer and when Marcello discuss with Rodolfo, Mimi overhears the real reason for the behavior of her beloved Rodolfo.

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Plot Keywords:

opera | reference to magritte | classical | based on novel

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Genres:

Drama | Music | Musical

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Details

Country:

Australia

Language:

Italian

Release Date:

8 June 1994 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC), Australian Opera

Technical Specs

Runtime:

112 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Among the grafitti seen on the walls and doors of the bohemians' garret are: "Non, je ne regrette rien" (1956 song made popular by Edith Piaf), "Bonjour Tristesse" (1954 novel by Francoise Sagan), and "Ceci n'est pas une pipe" (from Rene Magritte's 1929 painting "The Treachery of Images").

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Connections

Version of La Bohème (1986)

User Reviews

A wonderful introduction to the world of Opera

I first saw this production (at least, part of it) on Public Television a few years ago, and was just smitten with the look and atmosphere.I had been haunted by it since, but unable to find it until recently. Anyway, suffice it to say I enjoyed it as much as I had remembered! The setting of the story in the 50's makes it truly accessible, and while I agree that the cast is vocally somewhat lightweight, this is not, in my mind, a flaw in this sort of production.It is not about huge and beautiful singing...this is an intimate production in which the personalities themselves are more important than some pinnacle of musical excellence.Personally, I found David Hobson's (Rodolfo)light yet musical voice perfect for the character. This seems to me a wonderful production with which to introduce young people to the world of opera (which is a tremendous merit in itself!).There is not the problem of having to look "beyond" the physical appearance of a character (no robust Mimi here, nor middle aged,rotund Rodolfo), and the very lightness of the voices may make it somewhat easier to swallow for those not accustomed to operatic style.

In short, if you are a diehard, pure "Opera" fan, you are likely to be somewhat ambivalent toward this, but if you can handle opera with a popcorn factor,it just might be a really enjoyable experience.