FROM 3PM - 5.30PM
TICKETS £10 INCLUDING TEA
CHILDREN 11 AND UNDER HALF PRICE
FROM 3PM - 5.30PM
TICKETS £10 INCLUDING TEA
CHILDREN 11 AND UNDER HALF PRICE
Saturday 28th June
6pm - 9.30pm
£40
Puccini’s La Bohème
Regent’s Opera
The gardens will be open from 5pm. Free car parking in field adjacent (follow the signs).
There will be a cash-only bar and light refreshments will be available. NO PICNICS PLEASE.
This is an outdoor event so please dress accordingly. Bring a rug and extra layers in case it gets chilly. There will be a short interval during the performance.
CAST:
Marcello: Samuel Pantcheff
Rodolfo: Davide Basso
Colline: Frazer Scott
Schaunard: Ashley Mercer
Alcindoro / Benoit: Andrew Tinkler
Mimi: Christine Buras
Musetta: Leila Alexander
Directed by Sasha Regan
Musically directed by Ben Woodward
Stage Manager / Assistant Directors: Alex Milne (UK), Eleanor Strutt (France)
Lighting design: Joe Doody
Costume design: Reuben Speed
Produced by Oliver Gibbs and Ben Woodward
Regents Opera Musical Ensemble managed by Alison Holford
Musically directed by Ben Woodward
REGENTS OPERA
Regents Opera have now established themselves as the leaders of the Fringe Opera circuit in the UK, which is to say that they have no salaried staff or direct public subsidy. Their work comprises three branches: touring productions available for your location (such as this one…), London-based productions of large operas pared down into intimate settings, and orchestral workshops, where an amateur/semi-professional orchestra spend a weekend exploring major operatic works for their own edification and enjoyment.
Between 2022-25, they have presented the complete Ring Cycle of Wagner, in a version by conductor Ben Woodward for 22 instruments, which achieved them significant notoriety and 5* reviews in the national press and industry periodicals.
Next year they will be offering Verdi’s Rigoletto, which will feature Oliver Gibbs in the title role and will be directed by Eleanor Strutt. If you are interested in hosting this, please do get in touch with ben@regentsopera.com (UK) or p.bear@wanadoo.fr (France)
Puccini's most romantic, yet tragic, opera is set in a rundown quarter of 19th century Paris. La Bohème brings us the lives and loves of struggling writers and artists, living on the edge of poverty alongside working class tenants for whom the horror of tuberculosis is all too real.
The doomed love of poet Rodolfo for seamstress Mimi propels the story; running in parallel is the on-off affair of painter Marcello and singer Musetta. When money comes in, it's all round to the local cafe; when there's none, unsold poems are burnt for warmth, and precious candles are shared.
The premiere of La Bohème was in Turin in February 1896, conducted by a young Arturo Toscanini. Within just a few months, it was being performed in opera houses all over the world, and today remains the fourth most frequently performed opera worldwide.
Synopsis of Puccini's La Bohème
A Journey Into Love and Loss in 19th Century Paris
La Bohème, composed by Giacomo Puccini, is one of the most beloved operas in the world, premiering in 1896. It presents a poignant and romantic story set in Paris during the 1840s, following the lives of a group of young, struggling bohemians. The opera is divided into four acts, each capturing moments of love, joy, hardship, and tragedy.
Act 1: The Garret
The opera begins in a dilapidated attic shared by four friends: Rodolfo, a poet; Marcello, a painter; Colline, a philosopher; and Schaunard, a musician. They are faced with the harsh realities of poverty and playfully attempt to keep warm by burning Rodolfo's manuscript. Schaunard arrives with money and provisions, lifting their spirits. As the friends leave to celebrate at Café Momus, Rodolfo remains behind to finish his writing. He is interrupted by Mimi, a frail seamstress living in the same building. Mimi's candle has gone out, and she seeks Rodolfo's help. They are instantly attracted to each other, and Rodolfo's aria "Che gelida manina" and Mimi's response "Mi chiamano Mimi" reveal their dreams and vulnerabilities. The act closes with their duet "O soave fanciulla," as they fall in love and join the others.
Act 2: The Café Momus
The bustling Latin Quarter is alive with the festive atmosphere of Christmas Eve. Rodolfo buys Mimi a bonnet, and they join Marcello and Musetta, Marcello's former lover, at the café. Musetta arrives with her current lover, Alcindoro, but she still longs for Marcello. Musetta's seductive waltz "Quando m'en vo" captivates everyone, and she cleverly sends Alcindoro away. She reunites with Marcello, and the friends leave, carrying Alcindoro's bill for him to pay.
Act 3: The Barrière d'Enfer
The mood shifts dramatically as we find Mimi seeking out Marcello at a tavern where he is staying with Musetta. She reveals her deteriorating health and troubled relationship with Rodolfo, who is consumed by jealousy and guilt over her illness. Rodolfo and Mimi confront their feelings, singing the heart-wrenching duet "Addio, dolce svegliare." Despite their love, they decide to part for Mimi's well-being. Meanwhile, Marcello and Musetta's turbulent relationship comes to an end.
Act 4: The Reunion
Back in the attic, Rodolfo and Marcello lament their lost loves. Schaunard and Colline try to lighten the mood, but the arrival of a severely ill Mimi changes everything. Musetta has brought her to see Rodolfo one last time. The friends rally to find medicine and comfort for Mimi, but it is too late. Rodolfo despairs as he realizes Mimi is dying. The opera ends with Rodolfo's cries as Mimi passes away, surrounded by the friends who loved her.