"La Bohème" (G. Puccini) - 2nd part: Background & Details

"La Bohème" is an opera in four acts by Giacomo Puccini to an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa, based on Scènes de la vie de Bohème by Henri Murger. It was in Turin on February 1, 1896 at the Teatro Regio that the world première performance of "La Bohème" took place conducted by the young Arutro Toscanini. In 1946, fifty years after the opera's première, Toscanini conducted a performance of it on U.S. radio, that was eventually released on records. It is the ony recording of a Puccini opera by its original conductor.

There is another version of "La Bohème" composed by Ruggero Leoncavallo, but with his own libretto. This version, premiered in 1897, focuses more on the Musetta and Marcello relationship, rather than that of Mimì and Rodolfo as in Puccini's version.

Here I give a brief description of the characters involved and the Première Cast on February 1, 1896 conducted by Arturo Toscanini:

Rodolfo, a poet (tenor): Evan Gorgo
Mimì, a seamstress (soprano): Cesira Ferrani
Marcello, a painter (baritone): Tieste Wilmant
Schaunard, a musician (bariton): Antonio Pini-Corsi
Colline, a philosopher (bass): Michele Mazzara
Musetta, a singer (soprano): Camilla Pasini
Benoît, their landlord (bass): Alessandro Polonini
Alcindoro, a state councillor (bass): Alessandro Polonini
Parpignol, a toy vendor (tenor): Dante Zucchi
A customs Sergeant (bass): Felice Fogli

Students, working girls, townsfolk, shopkeepers, street-vendors, soldiers, waiters, children.

Among the enchanting arias and duettos we can highlight:

"Che gelida manina" - Rodolfo, Act I

"Sì, mi chiamano Mimì" - Mimì, Act I
"O soave fanciulla" - Rodolfo & Mimì, Act I
"Quando me n'vo soletta per la via" - Musetta, Act II
"Donde lieta uscì al tuo grido d'amore" - Mimì, Act III
"O Mimì tu più non torni" - Rodolfo & Marcello, Act IV
"Vecchia zimarra" - Colline, Act IV

"Sono andati? Fingevo di dormire" - Mimì, Act IV

The marvelous passages and orchestrations of "La Bohème" are scored for:

Woodwinds: 2 Flutes, Piccolo, 2 Oboes, Cor Anglais, 2 Clarinets, Bass Clarinet, 2 Bassoons.
Brass: 4 Horns, 3 Trumpets, 3 Trombones, Bass trombone.
Harp
Percussion: Timpani, Drum, Triangle, Cymbal, Bass drum, Xylophone, Glockenspiel, Campanelle.
Strings: Violins I & II, Viola, Violoncello, Contrabass.

The recommended discography for "La Bohème" is, in my opinion:

• 1946; Jan Peerce, Licia Albanese, Francesco Valentino, George Cehanovsky, Nicola Moscona, Anne McKnight; Arturo Toscanini, MBC Symphony Orchestra and Chorus; Line Music / Cantus Classics.
  


• 1956 (rec. date); Giuseppe di Stefano, Maria Callas, Rolando Panerai, Manuel Spatafora, Nicolai Zaccaria, Anna Moffo; Antonino Votto, Chorus and Orchestra of Teatro alla Scala di Milano; EMI Classics.
  


• 1990; Luciano Pavarotti, Mirella Freni, Rolando Panerai, Gianni Maffeo, Nicolai Ghiaurov, Elizabeth Harwood; Herber von Karajan, Berlin Philarmonic Orchestra; DECCA.
  

Luciano Pavarotti (Oct 12, 1935 - Sep 06, 2007)

When looking at this picture I cannot help it to feel a deep sadness for the loss of this great tenor. Certainly the world of opera is different without him.

Born in the outskirts of Modena, northern Italy, Pavarotti was the son of Adele Venturi and Fernando Pavarotti, a baker and singer that encouraged his son to take singing lessons. The early years were not easy for Luciano, his family had little money and lived in a two-room apartment. His first musical influences were his father's recordings featuring Beniamino Gigli, Tito Schipa and Enrico Caruso, but his true idol was Giuseppe di Stefano.

After graduating from the Scuola Magistrale, Pavarotti faced the dilemma of a carreer choice: he was interested in becoming a professional football goalkeeper. Finally, he let his love for music win out. Aware of the risks involved, his father gave his consent reluctantly. At the age of 19, Pavarotti began the serious study of music with Arrigo Pola and later on with Ettore Campogalliani, his mentors in belcanto repertoire.

Pavarotti made his debut in April 1961 as Rodolfo in Puccinni's La Bohème at the Teatro Municipale in Reggio Emilia. During the following years he performed several roles such as the Duca di Mantova in Rigoletto, Edgardo in Lucia di Lammermoore, Tebaldo in I Capuleti e i Montecchi and Nemorino in L'elisir d'amore. But it wasn't until February 1972 in the production of Donizetti's La fille du régiment at the Metropolitan Opera House that he had his major breakthrough with the nine high Cs in the signature aria. These performances earned him the title of "King of the High Cs".

During the 80s and 90s, Pavarotti recorded several duets with Eros Ramazzotti, Sting, Andrea Bocelli, U2 and Frank Sinatra. He formed "The Three Tenors" with Plácido Domingo and José Carreras in their first performance at the Baths of Caracalla in Rome conducted by Zubin Metha, which became the biggest selling classical record of all time. They subsequently sang at the Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles for the 1994 World Cup finals and at the Champs de Mars in Paris in 1998.

He married Adua Verona for 34 years and they had three daughters: Lorenza, Cristina and Giuliana. In December 2003 he married his second wife, Nicoletta Mantovani, with whom he had his fourth daughter Alice.

Pavarotti gave his last performace at the Met on March 2004, for which he received a 12-minute standing ovation for his role as Cavaradossi in Puccini's Tosca. On December, the same year, he announced a 40-city farewell tour. Despite of his retirement, on February 2006 Pavarotti sang Nessun Dorma at the Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony in Turin, Italy. Unfortunately, the "Farewell Tour" was cancelled due to a pancreatic cancer diagnosed on July in that year.

On September 6, 2007 Terri Robson, Pavarotti's manager, wrote in an e-mail statement "The Maestro faught a long, tough battle against the pancreatic cancer [...] he remained positive until finally succumbing to the last stages of his illness.". Pavarotti's funeral was held in Modena Cathedral under the Roman Catholic Church's ritual and he rests in the Montale Rangote cemetery.

"I think a life in music is a life beautifully spent and this is what I have devoted my life to." - Luciano Pavarotti.

Personaly, I like to remember him like this, with a joyful expression on his face for the surrounding applause of the audience.

Donizetti's Don Pasquale in Colombia

Don Pasquale - Gaetano Donizetti; Teatro Colón, Bogotá, Colombia; opening night: Oct 09, 2007.

Don Pasquale, Valeriano Lanchas
Dottor Malatesta, Homero Velho
Ernesto, Alejandro Escobar
Norina, Gabriella Pace
Notario, David Garzón
Conductor, Hilary Griffiths

Though small dimensions but splendid style, the Teatro Colón of Bogotá seems the ideal place for belcanto repertoire. It was the case of Donizetti's posthumous opera, Don Pasquale, chosen by the Opera de Colombia as the second title for its annual season.

Formed by young musicians, the del Valle's Philharmonic Orchestra rendered a mor-than-satisfying version of this opera with a great balance in style and excellent tuning. From the first measures it was noticeable a brillant work of the british conductor Hilary Griffiths who had a deep knowledge of Donizetti's work.

Valeriano Lanchas, colombian baritone with lovely timbre, perfect tuning and winner of two world competitions (Luciano Pavarotti and Operalia), gave an excellent performance in the opera's title role. Gabriella Pace was perfectly suited for the role of Norina. With flattering musicality and flexibility plus a talented acting, Pace performed an unforgettable and genuine creation. Homero Velho standed out from this group of great singers for his stage display and elegance. Though not assisted bt his voice timbre, he was the ambiguous and seducer Dottor Malatesta the audience always expects. In the role of Ernesto, Alejandro Escobar sang with taste and knowledge of the repertoire though he overused the falsetto and had some tuning problems in the first part of the opera. Nevertheless he reached an excellent level in the second part.

Regarding the setting, there was some lack of respect to the composer. The opera took place in New York during the 30s where the ArtDéco prevailed. Congruent with this, the scenery and clothes were elegant, functional and well suited for the chosen time and place.

Despite of the latter, the audience was very receptive and at the end gave a big appalause of approval.

Overture

Ladies and gentlemen from all over the world, welcome to this brand new forum destined to all those opera lovers. It is my intention to create a cultural space to remember the great composers such as Verdi, Puccini, Donizetti, as well as all the stars that walked through the most famous stages around the world like Caruso, Gigli, di Stefano, Pavarotti... I also intend this forum to be a debating space where readers can state their opinions, ideas, advises, likes and dislikes.

Through the last years opera has been losing popularity at the expense of more modern music, and though the heyday of the latter is a social and cultural worldwide phenomenon, it would be of great value to retrieve the transcendental meaning of opera in the history of man.

Therefore, ladies and gentlemen, may the world take its seat, let the curtain raise, come up to the stage with me and be the performers of this experience.