Songtexte La Boheme - David Timson

An introduction to Puccini's La bohème

That frenetic, hyper-energized theme represents a group of young
Starving artists in a garret in the Paris of the 1840s. We'll call
Them bohemians, not because they're from Bohemia in Eastern Europe
But because that term was used in the 19th century for rebels against
Society, for the hippies of the time. The title La bohème means "The
Bohemian Girl," and as usual Puccini has chosen to name this opera
After his soprano heroine. La bohème is certainly the most popular
Best-loved opera in the world. Other works have contested that claim
Over the last century or more. Our great and great-great-grandparents
Worshiped Gounod's Faust. A little later, once people had got over
The shock of the subject matter, Carmen ruled the world's stages
And Aida has its impassioned admirers. But we are right, surely
In claiming that La bohème is the best-loved opera in the repertory
Because of course La bohème is the quintessential parable on
Young love. Deeply tender, often tempestuous and impassioned
It is also a melancholy work, and the tale of young people
Falling in and out of love against a background of demoralizing
Poverty has exercised an amazing attraction. Critics say the
Poverty is sanitized, and that is true to the extent that
Puccini's exquisite music sweetens everything it touches. But there
Is real life and real suffering in this opera, as we shall show
Puccini was born in Lucca in Northern Italy in 1858, and received
A good musical education, first from his musical family and later
At the conservatory in Milan. Legend says that it was a performance
Of Aida in Pisa in 1876 that inspired the lad to become a composer
But like many another great composer, his first works were not a
Huge success. Le ville, based on the same tale as the ballet Giselle
And Edgar, which was launched in 1889 at La Scala, no less, but
Sank soon after. His first smash hit was the opera Manon Lescaut
Based on a novel by the Abbé Prévost. And this lovely, lyrical work
Is still a firm part of the operatic repertory. You can get a
Sense of Puccini's wonderful way with the voice, in this case the
Tenor voice, in a short extract from the aria "Donna, non vidi mai."