Organization

Conductor

Tiziano Severini

Stage director

Francesca Zambello

Set designer

David Mitchell

Lighting designer

Thomas J Munn

Singer

Tenor

Luciano Pavarotti

Rodolfo

Soprano

Mirella Freni

Mimi

Sandra Pacetti

Musetta

Baritone

Gino Quilico

Marcello

Bass

Nicolai Ghiaurov

Colline

Italo Tajo

Alcindoro

Benoît

San Francisco Opera

La Bohème

San Francisco

United States

Luciano Pavarotti and Mirella Freni's incomparable partnership as Rodolfo and Mimi, the tragic lovers in Puccini's much-loved bittersweet opera, is captured for posterity in this live recording from the San Francisco Opera. Francesca Zambello's production boasts a superlative cast with Gino Quilico as Marcello, Nicolai Ghiaurov as Colline, Stephen Dickson as Schaunard and Sandra Pacetti as Musetta. The Italian conductor Tiziano Severini drew critical acclaim for his passionate and spontaneous reading of the score.

Puccini's bittersweet opera of high-spirited bohemians and the doomed love between Rodolfo, the idealistic poet and Mimi, the consumptive flower-maker, is a beautifully balanced series of tableaux depicting the infectious joie de vivre of youth and the tragic waste of disease and separation.

The legendary and incomparable partnership of Mirella Freni and Luciano Pavarotti as the two lovers has been captured in this special live recording from stage of the San Francisco Opera. Brian Large has adapted Francesca Zambello's production for the video, further illuminating the fascinating interaction of Puccini's deeply human characters.

Gino Quilico sings Marcello, the colorful and moody painter, whose tempestuous relationship with the flirtatious Musetta (sung by Sandra Pacetti), comically mirrors the more profound love of Rodolfo and Mimi. Nicolai Ghiaurov sings Colline.

La bohème Puccini

Public

Approved

Production booklet

Further reading