On 3 February 1896, two days after the premiere at Teatro Regio in Turin, the Roman newspaper “La Stampa” reported, “Just like La bohème does not leave much impression in the mind of the listeners, it will not leave much impression on the history of our lyric theatre.” Meanwhile, in spite of the crushing press reviews, the public stormed onto the Turin stage and the directors were forced to change the repertoire – during its first month, the opera was shown 24 times instead of the planned eight. And other triumphs soon followed on the stages in Palermo, Buenos Aires, Manchester, Moscow, London, Vienna, finally Paris…

Giacomo Puccini’s La bohème, one of the most famous melodramas of the stage, with a libretto penned by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa, came to the Kraków Opera as the first premiere of the season 2015/2016. It is directed by Laco Adamik with stage sets and costumes designed by Barbara Kędzierska and Tomasz Tokarczyk in charge of the music. The opera transfers us to the world of 19th century Parisian bohemia. Parisian rooftops, an attic occupied by four impoverished artists, the Latin Quarter with Café Momus, the captivating romance between the poet Rodolfo and the embroiderer Mimì, all set to Puccini’s moving music… The original reviewer from „La Stampa” couldn’t have been more wrong! (Barbara Skowrońska)

Composer: Giacomo Puccini
Direction: Laco Adamik
Musical direction: Tomasz Tokarczyk

Premiere: 25 September 2015