La Bohème (2016)

Composed By: Giacomo PucciniLa Boheme Opera NUOVA
Libretto By: Luigi Illica & Giuseppe Giacosa

Conducted By: Rosemary Thomson
Assistant Conducted By: Nicola Davies
Directed By: Robert Herriot
Stage Manager: Jake Blakely
Assistant Stage Managers: Mona (Fengyi) Jiang & Raili Boe
Set & Lighting Design By: Terry Gunvordahl
Costumer: Betty Kolodziej

Festival Place LogoJune 24, 25, 28 – 7:30pm
June 26 – 2:00pm
Festival Place

100 Festival Way, Sherwood Park

Come into the Cafe Momus and experience the lives, loves and longings of Puccini’s classic and beloved bohemians.  In this brand new, fully designed productions, set in the heart of Paris in the “Dirty Thirties,” Rodolfo, a poet, and Marcello, a painter, sit huddled around small fires of the poet’s latest manuscript.  When Mimi, a seamstress, loses her key and the flame to her candle, she comes to Rodolfo, setting the stage for one of opera’s most timeless romances.  This beautiful opera is full of love, laughter and heartbreak.


Ticket Prices

Advance Tickets available April 15, 2016

Adult – $45.00
Senior – $40.00
Students – $20.00

All performances are assigned seating. For seating choices please call 780.449.3378

To order online CLICK HERE!


Cast List     

 

Role

                      June 24 & 26               June 25 & 28
Mimi
               Jeanine Williams            Ana Toumine
Rodolpho       Daniel Rowley                Anthony Boxell
Musetta        
Leanne Kaufman            Jordanne Erickson
Marcello        
Adam Harris                   Nathan McDonald 
Schaunard    
Andrew Adridge             Dylan Langan
Colline          
Simon Chalifoux*           Simon Chalifoux*
Benoit           Nathan Sawatsky-Dyck   Nathan Sawatsky-Dyck
Alcindoro      River Guard                    River Guard

Chorus
Soprano
Jayne Hammond, Nansee Hughes, Brittany Rae, Rebecca Thackray

Alto
Bailey Cameron, Jamie Groote, Kassandra Schantz, Amanda Weatherall

Tenor
Corey Arnold, Allan Cabral de Sá, Matthew Dalen, River Guard

Bass
Peter Brooks, Ian Cleary, Nathan Sawatsky-Dyck, Burack Yaman

*The participation of this Artist is arranged by permission of Canadian Actors' Equity Association.


Full Synopsis     

Edited from Synopsis of the Libretto, La Boheme, Casa Ricordi, Milano, Italy. 2005

ACT I

“The Action takes place in Paris around [1930].  The young poet Rodolfo and the painter Marcello are spending Christmas Eve in the freezing garret where they live.  They are joined by friends, the philosopher Colline and the musician Schaunard, who has managed to procure food, wine and firewood; the four of them improvise a party, which is however suddenly interrupted by the arrival of the landlord to demand the rent; having invented an excuse to get rid of him without paying him, Marcello, Colline and Schaunard decide to go out to dine at the Café Momus, while Rodolfo stays at home; he will join them when he has finished the article.  There is a knock at the door; it is his neighbor Mimi, a young seamstress, who has come to ask for a match.  She is exhausted and Rodolfo revives her with some wine, but in the meantime she has lost her key.  The candle goes out, and while they are searching for the key in the dark their hands touch.  Mutual attraction is immediate: they tell each other about themselves and go off to join his friends.”

ACT II

“Rodolfo and Mimi are sitting in the Café Momus with the others when Musetta, as former lover of Marcello’s arrives with her new companion, the elderly Alcindoro.  Having got rid of Alcindo by sending him on an errand, Musetta makes peace with Marcello.  At this point the Bohemians depart, leaving the returning Alcindoro to pay the bill.”

ACT III

“On a freezing February morning Mimi meets Marcello, who is painting the sign of a tavern near the Barrière d’Enfer.  Racked by coughing, she tells him that she has quarreled with Rodolfo because of his jealousy and begs him to help her.  Rodolfo comes out of the tavern and she hide.  Rodolfo reveals to Marcello that Mimi is dying of consumption and he has not the means to provide for her.  Mimi appears and she and Rodolfo embrace.  They know they must part, but they decide to stay together until the spring.  Meanwhile Marcello and Musetta are arguing once again.”

ACT IV

“Some time later, Rodolfo and Marcello are in the garret again and are thinking about Mimi and Musetta, who have left them.  Schaunard and Colline arrive, and the four friends organize a mock banquet.  Suddenly Musetta bursts in and says that Mimi is outside, close to death.  Rodolfo helps her to the bed, and the others go off to pawn their possesions to raise money to call a doctor.  Left alone, Mimi and Rodolfo recall their first meeting and their love.  Schaunard returns, followed by Musetta, Marcello and Colline.   Marcello announces that a doctor is on the way; but suddenly they fall silent, realizing Mimi has died.  Rodolfo, who has hoped until the last that she might recover, through himself weeping on her body.”