Photo Gallery

La Bohème stunning photography by Kathleen Behnke

Performance Dates

Friday, April 12 @ 8:00 PM – Discovery Theatre in the Alaska Center for the Performing Arts
Saturday, April 13 @ 8:00 PM – Discovery Theatre in the Alaska Center for the Performing Arts
Sunday, April 14 @ 4:00 PM – Discovery Theatre in the Alaska Center for the Performing Arts

In Italian with English Supertitles

Tickets started at just $19.50 (with discounts for Youth, Senior, Military & Groups of 6 or more)

About

La Bohème 

by Giacomo Puccini
Libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa,

Life is a fleeting candle. Love is an eternal flame.

The greatest love story ever sung! This passionate, indelible story of four struggling young bohemian artists – and the women who change them forever – will move you to both laughter and tears. Blending riveting theater and achingly beautiful music, Puccini’s masterpiece, can arguably stake its claim as the world’s most popular opera. Its sumptuous score and timeless tale of love and loss in the Latin Quarter of Paris is as current today as at its premiere in 1896, even inspiring (100 years later) the 1996 Pulitzer prize and Tony Award winning rock musical RENT, and was also featured in the movie Moonstruck with Nicolas Cage & Cher! 

Starring a large cast of internationally acclaimed and Metropolitan Opera artists, returning fan favorites and wonderful local talent, including our own children’s chorus that will warm your hearts. A great date night! Perfect for the first-time opera-goer, and lovers of all ages!

The Cast

Production Team


Brian DeMarisConductor


Laura AlleyStage Director


Lindsay OhseMusetta


Luis Alejandro OrozcoMarcello


Carrie Yanagawa – Set Designer


Cedar Cussins – Lighting Designer


Andrew Potter Colline


Michael TallinoSchaunard


Elle Janecek – Hair & Make-up Designer


Lynn R. Murphy – Costume Designer


Kyle Gantz – Benoit / Alcindoro


Richard Gordon – Chorus Master/Rehearsal Accompanist/Coach


Kathryn StrockChildren’s Chorus Master

emily-butzi-headshot
Emily Butzi – Stage Manager

Synopsis

ACT I

Paris, the 1830s. In their Latin Quarter garret, the near-destitute artist Marcello and poet Rodolfo try to keep warm on Christmas Eve by feeding the stove with pages from Rodolfo’s latest drama. They are soon joined by their roommates—Colline, a philosopher, and Schaunard, a musician, who brings food, fuel, and funds he has collected from an eccentric student. While they celebrate their unexpected fortune, the landlord, Benoît, comes to collect the rent. After making the older man drunk, they urge him to tell of his flirtations. When he does, they throw him out in mock indignation at his infidelity to his wife. As his friends depart to celebrate at the Café Momus, Rodolfo remains behind to finish an article but promises to join them later. There is another knock at the door—the visitor is Mimì, a neighbor, whose candle has gone out on the stairway. As she enters the room she suddenly feels faint. Rodolfo gives her a sip of wine, then helps her to the door and relights her candle. Mimì realizes she lost her key when she fainted, and as the two search for it, both candles are blown out. Rodolfo finds the key and slips it into his pocket. In the moonlight, he takes Mimì’s hand and tells her about his dreams. She recounts her life alone in a lofty garret, embroidering flowers and waiting for the spring. Rodolfo’s friends are heard outside, calling him to join them. He responds that he is not alone and will be along shortly. Happy to have found each other, Mimì and Rodolfo leave, arm in arm, for the café.

ACT II

Amid the shouts of street hawkers near the Café Momus, Rodolfo buys Mimì a bonnet and introduces her to his friends. They all sit down and order supper. The toy vendor Parpignol passes by, besieged by children. Marcello’s former girlfriend, Musetta, makes a noisy entrance on the arm of the elderly but wealthy Alcindoro. The ensuing tumult reaches its peak when, trying to gain Marcello’s attention, she loudly sings the praises of her own popularity. Sending Alcindoro off on a pretext, she finally falls into Marcello’s arms. Soldiers march by the café, and as the bohemians fall in behind, the returning Alcindoro is presented with the check.

ACT III

At dawn on the snowy outskirts of Paris, a customs official admits farm women to the city. Guests are heard drinking and singing within a tavern. Mimì arrives, searching for Marcello. When the painter appears, she tells him of her distress over Rodolfo’s incessant jealousy. She says she believes it is best that they part. Rodolfo, who has been asleep in the tavern, comes outside. Mimì hides nearby, though Marcello thinks she has left. Rodolfo tells his friend that he wants to separate from Mimì, blaming her flirtatiousness. Pressed for the real reason, he breaks down, saying that her coughing can only grow worse in the poverty they share. Overcome with emotion, Mimì comes forward to say goodbye to her lover. Marcello runs back into the tavern upon hearing Musetta’s laughter. While Mimì and Rodolfo recall past happiness, Marcello returns with Musetta, quarreling about her flirting with a customer. They hurl insults at each other and part, but Mimì and Rodolfo decide to remain together until spring.

ACT IV

Months later in the garret, Rodolfo and Marcello, now separated from their girlfriends, reflect on their loneliness. Colline and Schaunard bring a meager meal. To lighten their spirits the four stage a dance, which turns into a mock duel. At the height of the hilarity Musetta bursts in with news that Mimì is outside, too weak to come upstairs. As Rodolfo runs to her aid, Musetta relates how Mimì begged to be taken to Rodolfo to die. She is made as comfortable as possible, while Musetta asks Marcello to sell her earrings for medicine and Colline goes off to pawn his overcoat. Left alone, Mimì and Rodolfo recall their meeting and their first happy days, but she is seized with violent coughing. When the others return, Musetta gives Mimì a muff to warm her hands and prays for her life. Mimì slowly drifts into unconsciousness. Schaunard realizes that she is dead, and Rodolfo is left desperate.

Free Pre-Opera Talks

Plan to join us one hour before each show in the Discovery Theatre for an informative exploration of the show. Learn fascinating facts and historical background before the curtain goes up.

We are proud to present our colleague in the arts, Michael Jungreis, as the your Pre-Opera Talk Host. Michael is well-known to Anchorage audiences as the host of KLEF’s “Saturday Night at the Opera”.

Friday, April 12, 2019 at 7:00 pm in the Discovery Theatre Parterre
Saturday, April 13, 2019  at 7:00 pm in the Discovery Theatre Parterre
Sunday, April 14, 2019 at 3:00 pm in the Discovery Theatre Parterre

 

 

Free Student Final Dress Rehearsal

Anchorage Opera would like to open the final dress rehearsal to K-12 students at no cost for our production of La Boheme by Puccini on Apr 10, 2019 at 7:00 pm performed in Italian with projected Supertitles in English. This production will be held at The Discovery Theater, Alaska Center for the Performing Arts and seating is limited. We will do our best to accommodate any K-12 student that would like to come, however some parties may receive fewer tickets than requested based on availability.

Please contact Kaylee Wagle at 907-279-2557 or email kwagle@anchorageopera.org to request your vouchers.

As this is a coveted event for many schools in the Anchorage area, please do not request more tickets than you will use. If you are promised a certain number of tickets and find you will not be able to use them all, please contact us as soon as possible so that people on the wait list can be notified and make arrangements to attend.

We hope to see a full house of  K-12 Students there! BRAVO