LA BOHÈME

Since all of us are opera beginners, Fan, Cindy and I decided to choose La Boheme as our first opera in Vienna. All the information that Gloria sent us through the email was really helpful. Like what Gloria said in the email, “Space is limited and therefore arriving early is the key to success”. Although we arrived there one hour early, there were full of people in the waiting line. Unfortunately, the first Stehplätze has already sold out when we bought the tickets. As a result, we bought the second ones and didn’t see the whole stage during the performance. Thus, for the people who wanted to buy Stehplätze that has a great point of view the entire stage, we suggest you can arrive to the box office one and a half hours early.

La Boheme mainly tells the love story about Rodolfo and Mimi.  The story begins in a cold winter in Rodolfo’s apartment. Rodolfo and his friends want to burn Rodolfo’s work to warm themselves.  They decide to go and get a drink after they tricked their landlord to avoid the rent. Rodolfo want to finish his paragraph, so they are waiting for him down stair. At that time Mimi, Rodolfo’s neighbor, come with a candle to ask for the fire. She is so weak that fall into Rodolfo’s arm. Their story begins. Rodolfo brings Mimi with him to the café and introduces her to his friend. However Rodolfo feels unsafe with Mimi, since there are other guys around her. He also wants Mimi to date with some rich guy who can help with her illness. Mimi cried in Rodolfo’s arm and said goodbye to him. In coming spring, Mimi comes to the apartment to see Rodolfo for her last time. Rodolfo and his friends sold all their valuable things to buy medicines for Mimi. However Mimi still died at the end. Rodolfo holds Mimi in his arm. The story ended with Mimi’s death.

I really enjoyed the music presented by the musicians. The emotions of the actors and actresses were perfectly expressed by the tones of the music. My favorite part of the opera was the scene when Mimi is so weak and dying. As Mimi says, “I feel safe now”, because she gets back to Rodolfo and dies in his arms, the music started to become so sad and touching that I couldn’t help to control myself but cried. I enjoyed the whole show, even though I couldn’t see the whole stage from where I stand, but fortunately there are screens that show the subtitles in both German and English so that I could catch up what the actors and actresses were talking about. One line from Rodolfo moved me the most, “Mimi is a hothouse flower, blighted by poverty. Love alone could not restore her health.” I felt so sorry for this poor couple. Because of poverty, they couldn’t do anything for each other even though they love each other to death. Even though Mimi goes out with the rich guy, she feels unsafe and unhappy. I guess I could never forget how happy she looks when she returns to her true love, Rodolfo.