At the end of this month, Pocket Opera will conclude its 2024 season in San Francisco with one of the most popular works in the opera repertoire. This will be Donald Pippin’s English translation of the Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa for Giacomo Puccini’s four-act opera La bohème. This was based on Henri Murger’s novel Scènes de la vie de bohème (scenes of the Bohemian lifestyle).
The opera was first performed in Turin on February 1, 1896. The conductor was Arturo Toscanini, who was 28 years old at the time. He would then celebrate the 50th anniversary of this occasion with an NBC broadcast, whose recording was then released by RCA Victor and is currently available in a Sony Music Entertainment release. The leading roles of Mimì and Rodolfo were sung, respectively, by soprano Licia Albanese and tenor Jan Peerce. The formidable bass, Salvatore Baccaloni, sang both the landlord Benoît and the councilor Alcindoro.
Diana Skavronskaya and Nicholas Huff in the roles of Mimì and Rodolfo in Pocket Opera’s production of La bohème (from the Web page for ticket purchases)
In the Pocket Opera production the leading roles will be sung by Diana Skavronskaya and Nicholas Huff. Those two more “pedestrian” roles will have different singers. Michael Mendelsohn will be the landlord, while Gene Wright will take the part of Alcindoro. The performance will be conducted by Music Director Mary Chun, and the staging will be by Elly Lichenstein.
As usual, the performance will take place at the Legion of Honor. It will begin at 2 p.m. on Sunday, July 28. As many readers probably know by now, the Legion of Honor is a component of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco. It is located at 100 34th Avenue, which is basically right in the center of Lincoln Park. General admission will be $79 with a $74 rate for seniors. Those age 30 and under may purchase tickets for $30. A Web page has been created for online purchases.
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