La Bohème

Four young artists brave the cold of Paris with wit, friendship and idealism: the poet Rodolfo, the painter Marcello, the musician Schaunard and the philosopher Colline live for their art – and risk everything for it. In their bohemian world, creativity is not a profession but a way of life – a gamble for freedom on the edge of subsistence. But when Rodolfo meets the fragile Mimì, reality inevitably sets in. Giacomo Puccini’s “La Bohème” tells of everyday life and extraordinary moments, of closeness, loss and the desire for a self-determined life. Light-hearted, almost cheerful scenes stand alongside quiet, desperate ones. From friendship and infatuation, a story unfolds that grows increasingly heavy – and shows just how fragile happiness can be when illness and poverty leave no promise of a future.