La bohème

Synopsis

Part I

In a garret. It’s cold in the Parisian garret of the painter Marcello and the poet Rodolfo, who don’t have the money to buy firewood or food. The philosopher Colline arrives, discouraged because it is Christmas Eve and nobody is accepting pledges. Instead, the musician Schaunard comes in, laden with provisions, wood, food and wine, having unexpectedly earned some money; he wants to celebrate at the Café Momus in the Latin Quarter, and invites his friends to join him. There is a knock at the door: it is Benoît, the landlord, who has come for the rent. With a stratagem, the four young men manage to avoid paying. While the others go out, Rodolfo stays behind to finish writing an article. A young woman knocks at the door: it is Mimì, a neighbour, who asks him to relight her candle, but she feels ill and faints.

Rodolfo is struck by her beauty and helps her to recover. Mimì is about to leave, but a draught extinguishes her candle again. Rodolfo blows his out, too, and while they look for Mimì’s key in the moonlight, Rodolfo takes her hand and tells her that he is a poet; she also tells him about herself: she is an embroiderer. Rodolfo tries to embrace her and invites her to go out with him and his friends. Mimì accepts.

Part II

In the Latin Quarter. The three friends are sitting in the Café Momus and Rodolfo introduces his new love, Mimì, to them. Musetta, Marcello’s former flame, also arrives, accompanied by the rich Alcindoro. The girl, extravagantly dressed, does everything to catch Marcello’s attention, and then, playing a trick on Alcindoro so that he goes off, she throws herself into Marcello’s arms. A military band passes and the four friends realise that they can’t pay the bill; Musetta orders the waiter to add it to Alcindoro’s.

Part III

The Gate of Enfer. Marcello and Musetta are living in an inn where he is painting the facade. Mimì has come to give vent to her feelings with Marcello because Rodolfo is jealous, and after yet another quarrel, he has left. Marcello confides that Rodolfo has spent the night at the inn. Mimì pretends to leave, but she hides in order to overhear the conversation between the two friends: Rodolfo confesses to his friend that Mimì is gravely ill with consumption, and that he, poor as he is, feels guilty because he cannot help her. Mimì coughs and Rodolfo discovers her; the two of them decide to stay together until the spring. Instead, Marcello and Musetta separate: he has discovered her flirting with a patron.

Part IV

In the garret. Marcello and Rodolfo find it difficult to work as they think about Musetta and Mimì. Colline and Schaunard return, and together they transform their humble meal into an entertaining evening of dancing and pillow fights, but Musetta comes in to announce that Mimì is ill and has asked to see Rodolfo. She lies down on the bed, and Rodolfo once again declares his love while Mimì remembers their happy moments together. Mimì dies and Rodolfo can do nothing but desperately call out her name.