Register Your Cart

La Bohème

opera in four acts
music by Giacomo Puccini

3 hours
two intervals
itperformed in Italian (with Russian surtitles)
12+for viewers over 12 years old
La Bohème
Artists
Rodolfo — Fyodor Ataskevich
Mimì — Tatiana Ryaguzova
Marcello — Boris Pinkhasovich
Musetta — Svetlana Moskalenko
Colline — Yury Monchak

Conductor — Peter Feranec
Credits

Libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa based on Scènes de la vie de bohème by Henri Murger
Musical Director of the production: Peter Feranec
Stage Director, Stage and Lighting Designer: Arnaud Bernard
Costume Designer: Carla Ricotti
Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of the Chorus: Vladimir Stolpovskikh
Costume Production Engineer: Alla Marusina
Directors: Yulia Prokhorova, Margarita Kunitsyna‑Tankevich
Chorus Masters: Alexey Dmitriyev, Sergey Tsyplenkov
Pianist and Style Consultant: Richard Barker
Stage Director’s Assistant: Vyacheslav Kalyuzhny
Costume Designer Assistant: Irina Talova
Consultant in the Italian language: Daria Mitrofanova
Artistic and technological visual solutions of the production were developed by the stage technologies studio Show Consulting, St. Petersburg
Stage Design: Dmitry Balashov
Lighting Plot: Gidal Shugaev

The performance feature the Children’s Choir of TV and Radio of St Petersburg
Artistic Director: Stanislav Gribkov
Conductor (Chorus Master): Igor Gribkov

Sets and costumes produced at the Vozrozhdenie Theatrical Design Studios

  • Best Opera Production
  • Best Stage Director (Arnaud Bernard)
  • Best Conductor (Peter Feranec, Music Director and Principal Conductor of the Mikhailovsky Theatre)
  • Best Stage Designer in Music Theatre (Arnaud Bernard)
  • Best Costume Designer in Music Theatre (Carla Ricotti)
  • Best Light Designer in Music Theatre (Arnaud Bernard)
  • Best Female Opera Role (Olga Tolkmit for the role of Mimi)
  • Best Male Opera Role ( Boris Pinkhasovich for the role of Marcello)

Premiere of the production: 11 May 2011

There are few productions in the world of opera that could compete with this lyrical drama. It is not pretentious, convoluted or emotional — here, the art of opera and the real world collide. It was not by chance that Puccini turned to the only book by Murger that survived its author: The composer knew the protagonists very well: at times, during his studies at the Milan Conservatory, he too had to go without food, just like them. Later, at the time of success and financial independence, he was a centre of the crowd of artists, painters and writers, nicknamed on his initiative ‘The Bohemian Club.’

The composer conceived the idea of the opera in 1893. The opera was created to an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica (1853-1919) and Giuseppe Giacosa (1847-1906), yet it was Puccini who shaped the plan and sketched the characters of the protagonists, who differ from those in the original. Puccini was absorbed by the opera and started composing it in 1894, when the libretto wasn’t ready yet.

Puccini wrote his opera  La bohème contemporaneously with Leoncavallo’s own treatment of the same story. The rivalry ended in a quarrel. By the end of 1985 Puccini’s La bohème was ready and received its première on 1 February 1896 in Turin.

Act I

A garret in the Latin Quarter in Paris. Rodolfo and Marcello, a writer and a painter, are trying to work but in vain. They are starving and freezing in their garret. But they never lose their sense of humor. In order to keep warm, they burn the manuscript of Rodolfo’s work. Colline, a philosopher, enters shivering. Then Schaunard, a musician arrives with food, firewood, wine, cigars, and money. The friends cheer up, and when the landlord Benoît comes wishing to collect the overdue rent, the four Bohemians skillfully avoid paying him. Marcello, Colline and Schaunard leave for Café Momus and Rodolfo tells them that he will join them in a while, after he finishes an article he is writing for the news¬paper. Soon after his neighbour Mimì, a poor seamstress, is knocking on the door. Her candle has blown out, and she has no matches; she asks Rodolfo to light it. He is enchanted with the girl. She thanks him, but returns a few seconds later, saying she has lost her key. Mimì tells Rodolfo of her background and her story deeply moves him. They confess their love for each other. On hearing their friends’ voices, they decide to go off and join the others at the café.

Act 2

The Latin Quarter. The group is together amidst a huge crowd that has gathered on Christmas Eve. As the men and Mimì dine at the cafe, Musetta, formerly Marcello’s sweetheart, arrives with a new admirer, the rich Alcindoro. Musetta has left Marcello as she has had enough of the Bohemian life but she’s still in love with him. She’s hoping to reclaim Marcello’s attention but he doesn’t seem to notice her. Musetta is burning with anger for that. To get rid of Alcindoro, Musetta invents a motive to send him off and hugs Marcello. The waiter brings the bill. Schaunard finds out that there’s no money left. Musetta finds the solution: all the charges are put on Alcindoro’s bill.

Act III

In front of an inn on the outskirts of Paris. Early morning. Marcello is working as a painter at the local inn. Mimì has come to see him and tell him of Rodolfo’s jealousy that makes her life unbearable. She coughs all the time. On seeing Rodolfo, she hides and overhears Rodolfo first telling Marcello that he left Mimì because of her coquettishness, but finally confessing that he fears she is slowly being consumed by a deadly illness. Rodolfo, in his poverty, can do little to help Mimì and hopes that his pretended unkindness will inspire her to seek another, wealthier suitor. Her sobs and coughs reveal her presence. Rodolfo tries to console her but now, when she knows his secret, she insists on parting. Mimì and Rodolfo have a moving farewell. The happiness of Marcello and Musetta has also come to an end. The couple quarrel fiercely: Marcello blames her for her coquettishness and they break up.

Act IV

The garret. Several months have passed. Rodolfo and Marcello are trying to work. They talk about their loved ones. Suddenly Musetta arrives: Mimì has also come but she is too weak to get to the garret. The friends bring Mimì in. It’s still cold in the garret. Musetta and Marcello leave to sell Musetta’s earrings in order to buy some food and invite a doctor. Left alone, Mimì and Rodolfo recall their first encounter. The Bohemian company returns with a gift of a muff to warm Mimì’s hands and some medicine. Mimì takes the muff and falls asleep. Rodolfo curtains the window not to disturb Mimì, but his sweetheart is already dead.

USER AGREEMENT



1. GENERAL PROVISIONS

1.1.    This User Agreement (hereinafter referred to as the ‘Agreement’) defines the procedure for accessing the website of the St. Petersburg State Funded Cultural Institution, the St. Petersburg Mussorgsky State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre – Mikhailovsky Theatre (hereinafter referred to as the ‘Mikhailovsky Theatre’) located at the domain www.mikhailovsky.ru.

1.2. This Agreement regulates the relationship between the Mikhailovsky Theatre and the users of this website.



2. DEFINITION OF TERMS

2.1. For the purposes of this Agreement, the terms indicated below shall have the following meaning:

2.1.2. Mikhailovsky Theatre Site Administrators – those employees authorized to manage the website, acting on behalf of the Mikhailovsky Theatre.

2.1.3. User of the Mikhailovsky Theatre Site (hereinafter the ‘User’) – a person having access to and using the website via the Internet.

2.1.4. Site – the Mikhailovsky Theatre website located at the domain www.mikhailovsky.ru.

2.1.5. Content of the Mikhailovsky Theatre Site – the protected results of intellectual activity, including extracts from audiovisual productions, their names, forewords, annotations, articles, illustrations and covers, with or without text, graphic, textual, photographic, derived, composite, and other works, user interfaces, visual interfaces, logos, and also the design, structure, selection, coordination, external appearance, general style, and placement of the Content making up the Site and other intellectual property whether together and/or separately contained in the Mikhailovsky Theatre Site and the Personal Area, from where it is then possible to purchase Mikhailovsky Theatre tickets.



3. SUBJECT OF THE AGREEMENT

3.1. The subject of this Agreement is the provision to the User of access to the services available on the Site.

3.1.1. The Mikhailovsky Theatre Site shall provide the following services to the User:

- access to information about the Mikhailovsky Theatre and information about how to purchase tickets

- purchase of electronic tickets

- discounts, promotions, concessions, and special offers

- receipt of information about Theatre news and events, including via news and information distribution services (email, phone, text message)

- access to electronic content, with the right to view such content

- access to search and navigation tools

- the opportunity to post messages and comments

- other services provided through the pages of the Mikhailovsky Theatre Site

3.2. This Agreement covers all services existing (or functioning) at the present time on the Mikhailovsky Theatre Site, and any subsequent modifications to them and additional services which may appear in the future.

3.2. Access to the Mikhailovsky Theatre Site shall be provided free of charge.

3.3. This Agreement is a public offer. In obtaining access to the Site, the User shall be deemed to have opted in to this Agreement.

3.4. Use of the materials and services on the Site shall be governed by the provisions of current Russian Federation legislation.



4. RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS OF THE PARTIES

4.1. The Mikhailovsky Theatre Site Administrators shall have the right:

4.1.1. To change the rules for use of the Site and to change the Content of the Site. Changes to usage rules shall enter into force from the moment the new version of the Agreement is published on the Site.

4.2. The User shall have the right:

4.2.1. User registration on the Mikhailovsky Theatre Site shall be for the purpose of identifying the User in order to provide Site services, distribute information and news (by email, post, telephone, text message, or other means), and to obtain feedback and a record of the provision of concessions, discounts, special offers, and promotions.

4.2.2. To use all of the services available on the Site.

4.2.3. To ask any questions relating to the information presented on the Mikhailovsky Theatre Site.

4.2.4. To use the Site solely for the purposes and in the manner provided for by this Agreement and not prohibited by Russian Federation legislation.

4.3. The User shall:

4.3.2. Take no action which may be considered to be in breach of the normal functioning of the Site.

4.3.3. Avoid any actions which may result in a breach of confidentiality with regard to information protected by Russian Federation legislation.

4.4. The User may not:

4.4.1. Use any device, program, procedure, algorithm or method, automated devices, or similar manual processes in order to access, acquire, copy, or track the Content of the Site.

4.4.3. Circumvent in any way the navigational structure of the Site in order to obtain or attempt to obtain any information, documents, or material by any means which are expressly not provided by the Site services;

4.4.4. Breach the security or authentication systems of the Site or any network associated with the Site. Carry out reverse searches, track, or attempt to track any information about any other User of the Site.



5. USE OF THE WEBSITE

5.1. The Site and the Content contained therein belong to and are managed by the Mikhailovsky Theatre Site Administrators.

5.2. The Content of the Site may not be published, reproduced, transferred, or distributed by any means, nor posted on the worldwide networks of the Internet without the written consent of the Site Administrators.

5.5. The User shall be personally responsible for the confidentiality of the information in his/her account, including his/her password, and for all activity, without exception, which is carried out on behalf of the User of the account.

5.6. The User must immediately notify the Site Administrators of any unauthorized use of his/her account or password, or of any other breach of the security system.



6. LIABILITY

6.1. Losses which the User may suffer in the event of a deliberate or negligent breach of any provision of this Agreement, or as a consequence of unauthorized access to the communications of any other User, shall not be reimbursed by the Mikhailovsky Theatre Site Administrators.

6.2. The Mikhailovsky Theatre Site Administrators shall not be liable for:

6.2.1. Delays or malfunctions in the process of carrying out operations arising as a result of force majeure circumstances, nor for any faults in the telecommunications, computer, electronic, or other related systems.

6.2.2. The actions of banking, transfer, and payment systems, nor for delays connected with their operation.

6.2.3. Improper functioning of the Site in cases where the User does not have the technical equipment required for its use, nor do the Administrators accept any obligation to provide Users with such equipment.



7. BREACH OF THE TERMS OF THIS USER AGREEMENT

7.1. The Mikhailovsky Theatre Site Administrators shall have the right to terminate and/or block access to the Site, without prior notice to the User, if the User has breached this Agreement or the terms of use of the Site contained in other documents, or in the event of the Site ceasing to function, or due to technical glitches or problems.

7.2. The Site Administrators shall not be liable to the User or third parties for termination of access to the Site in the event of a breach by the User of any of the provisions of this Agreement or any other document containing the terms of use of this Site.

7.3. The Site Administrators shall have the right to disclose any information about the User as may be necessary for the execution of the provisions of current legislation or judicial rulings.



8. DISPUTE RESOLUTION

8.1. In the event of any disagreements or disputes arising between the Parties to this Agreement, a mandatory condition before resorting to the courts is that a claim should be submitted (a written proposal for voluntary resolution of the dispute).

8.2. The recipient of the claim shall, within 30 calendar days of receipt, notify the claimant in writing of the results of consideration of the claim.

8.3. If it is not possible to settle the dispute by voluntary means, either Party may apply to the courts for protection of their rights as provided for under current Russian Federation legislation.



9. ADDITIONAL PROVISIONS

9.1. In opting in to this Agreement and leaving his/her information on the Mikhailovsky Theatre Site by completing the registration form, the User:

9.1.1. Consents to the processing of the following personal information: full name; date of birth; telephone number; email address; payment details (if the service is used to purchase electronic tickets to the Mikhailovsky Theatre);

9.1.2. Confirms that this personal information belongs to him/her personally;

9.1.3. Gives the Mikhailovsky Theatre Site Administrators the right to carry out, without limit in time, the following actions (operations) with his/her personal information:

- collection and accumulation

- storage for an unlimited period of time (indefinitely) from the moment that the information is provided until it is recalled by the User by means of an application to the Site Administrators

- clarification (renewal, modification)

- destruction

9.2. The User's personal information shall be processed in accordance with Article 6.1.5 of Federal Law No. 152-FZ dated 27.07.2006 ‘On Personal Information’, solely for the purposes of performing the obligations accepted by the Mikhailovsky Theatre Site Administrators under this Agreement with respect to the User, including those indicated in clause 3.1.1 of this Agreement.

9.3. The User accepts and confirms that all of the provisions of this Agreement and the terms of processing his/her personal information are understood by him/her, and expresses his/her consent with the terms of processing his/her personal information without reservation or limitation. The User’s consent to the processing of his/her personal information is specific, informed, and conscious.