AVA Opera Blog

AVAbout the Opera - La bohème

“La più divina delle poesie è quella, amico, che c'insegna amare!”
(“The highest purpose of poetry is to teach us to love!”)
- La bohème, Giacomo Puccini

What is La bohème?

An opera in four acts composed by Giacomo Puccini. The opera premiered on February 1, 1896 in Turin, Italy. It is one of the most frequently performed and widely loved operas in the world.

AVA's first production of La bohème was in the 1962-63 season and it has been performed here nine times including roughly every five years since 1990. See below for information on some past AVA productions and some recent appearances by AVA alumni on stages around the world.

Meaning:

“La bohème” translates to “the bohemian.” Derived from the French, “bohemian” is referred to as a gypsy or someone socially unconventional who is often involved in the arts.

Composer:

Giacomo Puccini (full name: Giacomo Antonio Domenico Michele Secondo Maria Puccini). 

Composer Background:

Puccini (1858-1924) was an Italian composer whose work contributed largely to the traditional late-19^th-century romantic Italian opera. He has penned other important works such as Madama Butterfly (dramatic), Tosca (melodramatic), Gianni Schicchi (comedic) and Turandot (a queen who kills men for sport).

Opera Background:

The opera is based on the novel, La Vie de Bohème (Scenes of the bohemian) by Henri Murger written in 1851. The piece is a collection of interwoven stories that romanticize the bohemian life. Puccini wrote the music and the libretto, or lyrics, were written by Luigi Illica and Guiseppe Giacosa.

Setting:

The Latin Quarter of Paris in the 1840s. Sometimes a garret (top-floor, attic room) as well.

Characters:

Rodolfo, a poet

Mimì, a seamstress

Musetta, a singer

Marcello, a painter

Schaundard, a musician

Colline, a philosopher

Benoît, their landlord

Alcindoro, a state councillor

Parpignol, a toy vender

A customs Sergeant

Plot points:

1. Four bohemians live on insufficient costs but still manage to live life according to the bohemian 
truths: freedom, beauty, truth and love.

2. Rodolfo encounters Mimì and true love ensues (at first candlelight).

3. Mimì coughs violently (foreshadowing!).

4. Marcello and Musetta continue their on-again off-again romance, making them both crazy mad but eventually fall into each other’s arms.

5. It snows.

6. Rodolfo and Mimi part, his jealousy masking concern for her illness.

7. Spoiler Alert! Rodolfo and Mimì get back together in time for her to die peacefully in his arms.

Famous Hits from the Opera (click for YouTube videos):

“Che gelida manina” (“Your little hand is cold”) – Rodolfo’s tender aria upon meeting Mimì for the first time.

“Quando me’n vo” (also known as Musetta’s Waltz in Act II) – Musetta taunts a former lover flirtatiously.

“Donde lieta uscite” – Mimì’s final aria in which she reveals to Rodolfo that she is dying.

AVA and La bohème:

2005: Stephen Costello (’07) and Ailyn Pérez (’06) performed the roles of the two star-crossed lovers,Mimì and Rodolfo on stage at AVA. Seven years later, they reprised their roles for LA Opera. 

2010: Zach Borichevsky (’12) and Jan Cornelius (’11) sang the roles on AVA's Helen Corning Warden Theater stage. This past season, Mr. Borichevsky performed the role with the Finnish National Opera and Ms. Cornelius sang Musetta with Opera Birmingham (AL). Both Maria Aleida (’12) and Corinne Schaefer portrayed the role of Musetta while Steven LaBrie (’13) sang Marcello.

Mr. LaBrie will be performing the role of Schaunard in The Dallas Opera’s production of La bohème in late March 2015. Schaunard was sung by Norman Garrett and Ryan Kuster (’11). Colline was performed by both Scott Conner (’12) and Nicholas Masters (’11). Zachary Nelson (’13) sung the roles of Benoit/ Alcindoro and Viktor Antipenko (’12) portrayed the role of Parpignol.

Bryan Hymel (’08) and Michael Fabiano (’09) sang Rodolfo in the Zeffirelli production of La bohème at the Metropolitan Opera.

Last November, Eglise Guttierrez ('04), Burak Bilgili ('04), and current fourth-year Resident Artist William Davenport were featured in La bohème with Opera Naples (Florida).

Also last seasons, Corinne Winters ('11), Musa Ngqungwana ('14), Steven LaBrie ('13),and Christian Bowers ('13) sang La bohème with Washington National Opera.

Modern-day adaptations:

Moulin Rouge! directed by Baz Luhrmann, 2001

RENT! Jonathan Larson, 1996

La bohème on Broadway directed by Baz Luhrmann, 2002 featuring AVA alumni James Valenti, Jesus Garcia and Rebecca Garcia.

Breathe – Umphefumlo directed by Dornford-May and Pauline Malefane. This contemporary version of Puccini’s opera is set in South Africa. The score of the film will be played by an orchestra of marimbas and steel pans.

 

Samantha van Adelsberg is a Los Angeles native working in AVA's marketing department and managing the AVA Young Professionals group. Samantha holds two degrees from Binghamton University in English and Vocal Performance and is an active rock vocalist in the Philadelphia music scene.

 

The Mistress of the Mezzaluna

While the culinarily inclined may think a mezzaluna is an instrument used in the kitchen for chopping herbs, in AVA’s current production of L’italiana in Algeri the mezzaluna is one of the most distinctive and unique instruments in the orchestra.  The tall, ornate, rhythm instrument will be seen and heard throughout the opera’s performance during its AVA debut.

Martha Hitchins of the AVA Opera Orchestra is playing the mezzaluna in L’italiana in Algeri
(running in Center City, Haverford and Warrington through November 22). This isn’t her first time striking a mezzaluna; she first played it on stage during a performance of L’italiana in Alergi with what was then known as the Opera Company of Philadelphia (now Opera Philadelphia). Stefano Vizioli, the director of that performance, enjoyed the instrument so much that he had her play the overture on stage in front of the curtain. “I looked down and was afraid of falling into the pit; I’m so glad that didn’t happen!” she said.

The mezzaluna, also known as the Turkish crescent, originates from the Middle East and is made from a sturdy pole embellished with bells. Hardly two of these instruments are alike. This instrument was a feature in the band of the Sultan’s guard in Turkey from the 15^th-19^th century, and can also be seen in some modern operatic performances. Many composers, including Mozart and Beethoven, began incorporating Turkish flavor into their music, where the mezzaluna could be seen and heard.

This particular mezzaluna came from Turin, Italy in 2000, and arrived in Philadelphia unadorned, where it was declared by other orchestra members that it needed many more ‘plumes’. Ms. Hitchins, after learning that many mezzalunas are adorned with horse hairs on each side, ran around Philadelphia looking for this final pièce de résistance. “I spoke with Robert Driver [director of the then-Opera Company of Philadelphia] about this decoration,” she said. “He was amused by my request, and the hair you see here is from one of his daughter’s horses”.

When she heard that AVA was doing a production of L’italiana in Algeri, Ms. Hitchins immediately knew that the mezzaluna had to be included in the performance. Martha credits (AVA alum) Michael Eberhard, Artistic Administrator of Opera Philadelphia, for loaning the mezzaluna for this show.

While is it not featured in every number in the opera, it certainly adds flavor and flare when it is present. And it is undoubtedly hard to miss. Martha has had a number of people ask her about this unusual instrument after performances, and she expects it to happen again.

 “It’s a lot of fun to play; I feel like ‘Xena: Warrior Princess’ playing this instrument,” Martha says.

Of course, here at AVA, she’s better known as the “Mistress of the Mezzaluna”.

Tickets to hear the mezzaluna and see AVA's production of L'italiana in Algeri are available here.

Camille Mola is a Delaware County native and a recent Penn State University graduate, where she studied public relations. There, she was a member of the Delta Gamma sorority and was involved with the Penn State Dance Marathon (THON). She is excited to intern with AVA this season and to expand her love and knowledge of music. 

 

 

Good for the eyes and ears...

We all love seeing the AVA alums and resident artists live on the stage, but second best can be a CD or DVD of one of their performances. Sit back, relax, make popcorn, pop open some champagne and give your  eyes and ears a treat with these selections!

Indra Thomas is the new girl on the CD block with her first ever solo recording called Great Day, Indra Thomas sings Spirituals. I have known about this for some months and have been waiting, like an expectant AVA lover, to hear it.

Tenor Noah Stewart is really making a name for himself on four continents as well as on CD! His CD called Noah is one of the fastest selling CDs in the UK. He’s been crossing the globe with productions and concerts in Great Britain, South Africa, Australia and the USA. Recent productions from this past summer includes Radames in Aida at The Glimmerglass Festival, with recent alumna Michelle Johnson.

Eglise Gutiérrez has been dividing her time between the stage, being a mom to Lucia and wife to AVA alumus and bass Burak Bilgili. You can find her on TWO DVD’s in the stores and online. Her newest DVD release is shared with AVA mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato in their production of Cendrillion (Massenet) from the Royal Opera House in London. Her production of La Sonnambula (Bellini) from Cagliari, Italy was released in 2011. And don’t forget her recording of Donizetti’s  Linda di Chamounix  with AVA tenor Stephen Costello from the Royal Opera House in London.

Joyce DiDonato is hot on the DVD circuit as well with new releases. Her newest DVDs are from the Metropolitan Opera’s production of The Enchanted Island, and Rossini’s Le Comte Ory, both of which were HD Live movie productions.

Recent alumna Maria Aleida’s first DVD is of Rossini’s Aureliano in Palmira with the Orchestra Internazionale D’italia with recently released through Arkiv Music. 

Keep a look out for another rarity on CD shortly. Alumna Joyce El-Khoury recently performed and recorded Donizetti’s opera Belisario for Opera Rara with the BBC Symphony Orchestra and Maestro Mark Elder. This began life as a concert at the Barbican Centre in London.

 

Milestones that make you feel good...

Once you enter the doors of AVA as a resident artist you become a member of our large, musical family. As in most families great milestones do happen, and here are a few that make us proud.

On Memorial Day weekend the nuptials of Michelle Johnson to Brian K. Major was the biggest event in Houston, well at least for AVA! Michelle and Brian met each other while students at Boston University Opera Institute and have been together ever since. The wedding brought in people all over the US, including many of the AVA family. Alum Cynthia Cook was a bridesmaid, Val Starr, our Dean of Students and her husband Dennis were at the wedding. Her gift to the bride was her bridal veil. Others from AVA who attended included board member Randy Apgar and his partner Allen Black, resident artist Zach Nelson, alum Nicholas Masters, and AVA patron Sheila Kessler.

In Philadelphia last week, there was a new addition to the AVA family. Baritone Jason Switzer (AVA 05) and his lovely wife, Lettie, gave birth to their first child, Lealah.  Jason writes on Facebook, “I welcomed the newest addition to the Switzer family on June 4th. She's gorgeous like her mother.” Only question left – is she a soprano or a mezzo-soprano?

Summer is the time for weddings, and on July 28th AVA alumna Jessica Julin (AVA 09) will marry her beloved Victor White in Maryland. After graduation from AVA, Jessica and Victor moved to Annapolis where they reside. I’m sure there will be an AVA presence there, so as they say, more to come. Jessica has just signed with Fletcher Artist Management, so look for lots of singing in her future.

One milestone which has a national tie to it is the one the one that bass Burak Bilgili (AVA04) received from his home country of Turkey. This year Burak received The Turkish Male Opera Singer of the Year Award from the Donizetti Classical Music Awards in Istanbul. Unfortunately he was not able to attend the awards ceremony since he was in the middle of the run of Nabucco for the Washington National Opera.

 

And I was there... (part two)

Along with attending the Zachary Competition in Los Angeles, I was lucky enough to see several other AVA alums. I spent Friday evening with Kimberly Henshaw (AVA 06) and got to explore some of downtown LA with her close to the Disney Concert Hall. (pictured me and Kimberly Henshaw)

As I mentioned in a previous blog, I was able to see Alex Lawrence (AVA 11) and his beautiful fiancée Carin Gilfry, who were both covering roles in LA Philharmonic’s production of Don Giovanni. (pictured - Carin Gilfry and Alex Lawrence)

Sunday night included dinner with Ailyn Pérez, Stephen Costello, Bill Schuman, Thor Eckert and others, after the matinée performance of La bohème at LA Opera (which was sold out and also nationally broadcast).  Joining us at dinner, to my surprise, was American opera composer Jake Heggie. He has created many operatic roles for AVA alums including Joyce DiDonato and John Packard in Dead Man Walking, and Stephen Costello in his recently performed Moby Dick.

On my last night in Los Angeles, I was honored to give a lecture/video presentation to the Friends of Operetta in the Santa Monica area. Operetta has been my love for the past decade, and I have used many AVA singers in my concerts. I was happy to have the ability to show video clips of such AVA singers as Angela Meade, Bryan Hymel, Steven LaBrie, Ariya Sawdivong, Markus Beam, Evelyn Pollock, Eric Dubin and Kimberly Henshaw.

Was it a great trip?You bet!
Would I go back? Sure, only if I don’t have to drive the 405 Freeway!