Opera in four acts.
Composer G. Puccini.
Libretto by L. Illica and G. Giacosa based on the novel by A. Murger "Scenes from the Life of Bohemia."
Director: Honored Artist of Uzbekistan Andrey Slonim;
Musical Director and Conductor: People's Artist of Karakalpakstan Aida Abdullayeva;
Production designer:
Duration of the performance: 2 hours 30 minutes.
The first performance took place on February 1, 1896 in Turin.
The first production on the stage of the SABT named after A. Navoi was held in 1959.
The last production on the stage of the SABT named after A.Navoi took place in 2012.
The action takes place in Paris in 1830.
Plot
The action takes place in Paris around 1830. In the attic live young people - the poet Rudolph, the painter Marcel, the musician Schonar, the philosopher Colin, who hope to become someday great, but for now ... poverty and deprivation, paying off with youth and carefree fun.
The inhabitants of the attic go to have fun in the Latin Quarter. Rudolph stays at home alone. He gets acquainted with a neighbor who came to them by chance by the name of Mimi and they also go to the Latin Quarter. Feelings of sympathy break out between the young people.
The usual merriment prevails in the Latin Quarter. Rudolph introduces friends to Mimi. Marcel meets her ex-girlfriend - a flirtatious and frivolous Musette, who this time appears with a new companion - the old man Alcindor. Soon Musetta "gets off" from Alcindor and escapes with Marcel and his friends.
Marcel and Musette, after living together for a while, will soon part. The reason for this is the eternal scenes, frivolity and soreness of Musette and jealousy of Marcel.
Rudolph and Mimi often quarrel. Rudolph decides to leave the girl - Mimi is seriously ill and love for Rudolph can ruin her. Separation between them is inevitable.
Friends again live in the attic. Everything would seem as before. But Marcel and Rudolph are increasingly recalling their beloved. Young people are still poor and cheerful.
Suddenly, Musette appears, and Mimi, who has grown very weak from the disease. Friends put her to bed and try to help her. Musette sells the earrings and brings for Mimi the clutch, Colin sells his cloak. Mimi is happy - she is next to her beloved Rudolph. Hiding her hands in a warm muff, she falls asleep with the last dream. Friends are shocked. In their seemingly carefree life came a real, great grief.
SUMMARY
The first action.
Attic. Workshop of the artist Marcel. The poet Rudolph looks dreamily at the window, while his friend Marcel writes a picture. The room is so cold that the artist's hands are numb, and he soon quits his job, saying that the room, like a glacier, is "like the heart of Musette." Rudolph, turning away from the window, says that he admired the smoke of clubs from all the fireplaces, only one fireplace in their house does not smoke, not receiving a usual tribute for a long time. Thinking about how to warm up, Marcel proposes to sacrifice a chair and burn it in the fireplace instead of firewood, but Rudolph rejects this idea and suggests to fire his work - a voluminous manuscript of the drama. Marcel finds that it is better to burn his painting, but Rudolph does not agree, saying that the colors will spoil the air in the room, whereas his "hot" drama should warm them. With these words, he throws the first act of drama into the fireplace. The paper burns, and the friends cheerfully warm around the flame. The philosopher Colin enters, holding a bundle with books in his hands. Entering, he throws books on the table and declares that because of Christmas Eve books were not accepted as a pledge. Seeing the fire in the fireplace, he asked in astonishment what that meant. Rudolph explains that his drama burns in the fireplace. Colin for fun notes that it is very hot. As the flame diminishes, Rudolph throws another part of the manuscript into the fire. Friends warm themselves by the fireplace, and everyone, looking at the fire, lets his witty remarks. Rudolph finally throws the rest of the manuscript into the fire - the third act. Everyone rejoices in the fire and applauds him with enthusiasm. But here the flame again begins to decrease, and soon the fire in the fireplace completely fades. The end of the celebration. Musician Shonar appears, preceded by two boys who contribute a basket of provisions, wine and cigars and a bundle of firewood. Everyone is extremely happy. Rudolph prepares dinner from the provisions, Colin lights the fireplace. General delight. Schonar puts several louis on the table, saying: "The Bank of France is to your services." He tells how he earned this money. The rich Englishman hired him to play in his house until the parrot cried out for death on the window of the opposite house. So he played for three days, but then he got bored and, in order to get rid of the parrot, he gave him parsley, which caused him to die soon. Having received the money from the Englishman under the contract, he bought all these stocks, and part of the money he had earned, so that today, on the occasion of Christmas Eve, he would go out with his friends. Further, Schonar says that these snacks should be kept in reserve, because they will have more days of hunger and thirst, and now offers to go together to one of the restaurants in the Latin Quarter. Suddenly there is a knock at the door - it's the owner of the apartment Benoit came for the money. He is admitted, provided that he says only one word. Benoit enters and says: "Well, money." Marcel kindly meets him and offers him a drink along with a glass of wine. The whole company sits down, and the buster begins. Benoit again demands money for an apartment. Marcel calms him down, pointing to the money lying on the table. The Bohemian children's company is making fun of him, calling him Don Juan and the conqueror of women's hearts. From the wine drunk, Benoit comes into a playful mood and frankly confesses that, despite his elderly years, he would like to try to tarnish, but he does not like "skinny and thin women", having survived a lot of torment with one lean wife. Young people pretend to be deeply indignant with such immoral confessions and pushes him out of the apartment shouting: "Perverse old man, get out!" Then all, except Rudolph, go to the cafe-restaurant Momus. Rudolph still has to finish writing a newspaper article and promises to come there as soon as he finishes the work. He begins to write, but soon throws, thinks, tears written and utters in desperation: "There is no inspiration!" At that moment there is a soft knock at the door. The flower girl Mimi, who lives on the floor above in the same house, enters the room. In her hands she has an extinct candle and a key to her room. She explains that, since it is dark on the stairs, and the candle has gone out, she came for fire. Rising to her high stairs, she is tired, gasping and coughing. Rudolph, admiring her, cares carefully for her, sprinkles her face with water and gives her a drink of some wine. She, exhausted, drops the candle and the key. Then Mimi is going to leave. Rudolph gives her a lighted candle. Mimi is heading for the exit, but now he comes back, realizing that he dropped the key. At that moment a gust of wind extinguishes her candle. She again enters the room, runs up to the candle burning on the table to light her, but she also goes out, and darkness reigns in the room. In the dark, both begin to search for the key. Approaching Mimi, Rudolph suddenly takes her hands. She cries. Holding Mimi's hand, Rudolph asks permission to warm her hands and says that he is a poet, interrupted every day by his meager literary earnings, but still looking at life carelessly. Then he explains Mimi his tender feelings. Mimi in return tells about her quiet, modest and lonely life and that she is engaged in embroidering flowers, which she loves. Rudolph was called by his comrades and scolded him for being late. Rudolph shouts after them that he will come. He again starts talking Mimi about his love, and both sing a love duet. Recovering, Mimi reminds Rudolph that his comrades are waiting for him, and she herself is called to go with him to the restaurant to share the fun. They leave, singing "love, love, love"...
The second action.
Square in the Latin Quarter. Cafe Momus. Christmas Eve. Evening. A colorful, festively-minded crowd walks around the square. Everyone is looking for something to have fun. Shonar, Colin and Marcel are flirting with the girls, letting go of innocent jokes, approach the shopkeepers, bargain with them, and everyone buys something for themselves. Rudolph with Mimi comes into the fashion store and buys a bonnet for her. Then both enter the Cafe Momus, where they already find the Colin, Schonar and Marcel. Rudolph introduces friends to Mimi. All sit on the veranda by the cafe at the table and order themselves dinner. There is a popular toy dealer Parpignol, who carries a cart with children's toys, hung with flowers and lanterns. Children surround him with joyful exclamations and dismantle his toys. Parpignol is removed, accompanied by a gay crowd of its small buyers. The liquor and wine are served to the table, and everyone starts to drink. At this time, elegantly dressed Musetta is shown on the arm with the rich elderly gentleman Altsindor. Seeing Marcel, his former lover, Musette begins to scoff at his old man and shout at restaurant attendants to attract the attention of Marcel. He pretends not to notice her, and in a circle of friends he sings about a heartless coquette, always playing with his love and friends. Then Musette starts singing a waltz, the words of which explain to Marcel that she still loves him and wants him to return to her again. Mimi openly expresses sympathy for Musette. Men regret Marcel and argue about whether he will surrender or stand. Marcel confesses that he can not stand it any longer, and he dreams out loud about the return of the happy days and about the revival of Musette's former love. Noticing that Marcel begins to give up, Musette pretends that she is terribly clenching her leg, immediately takes off her shoe and, after giving it to Alcindor, orders him to immediately go to a neighboring shoe store to buy another pair more freely. As soon as Alcindor leaves for shoe store, Musette rushes into Marcel's arms with the cry "My dear!" At this moment sounds of military music are heard from afar. The whole crowd rushes to meet the troops. The company of the children of bohemia also raise from the table and want to join the general flow. But the garson gives an account to four friends, and they find themselves in great difficulty: they all together have only one and a half francs. Friends are lost, not knowing what to do, but they are rescued by Musette. She tells the servant to write a general account to her and these young people and file both bills with the former master, who will pay for everything. This plan is approved by the company, which together decides: "If there is a big love, let him pay both bills." At this time, soldiers are walking, shining with shakos. Everyone rushes after them. Marcel and Colin lift Musette and are carried behind the crowd in a chair, as she can not walk in one shoe. At this moment, Alcindor runs in with a shoe in his hand and sees the retiring Musette. The servant shows him both counts. Beyond himself with anger, he rushes after Musette and disappears in the crowd.
The third action.
Outpost. To the right - the boulevard, to the left - the tavern and gate of the outpost, in the back - the guard house. Noise and laughter stays in the tavern. From there, Musetta's singing rang out. Sleepy customs soldiers are warming themselves, lying at the brazier. Mimi enters and asks the sergeant of the customs guard, where an artist Marcel works here in some tavern. The sergeant points to the tavern to the left of the outpost. Mimi asks a servant to call Marcel, saying that she wants to tell him on an important matter. Marcel soon comes out and explains to Mimi that he has been living with Musette for three weeks in this tavern, where, leaving pride, he paints the walls, and Musette gives singing lessons. Their host is feeding them. Mimi in tears asks Marcel to help her in her relationship with Rudolph, who, although he loves her, is terribly jealous, tormenting himself and her and constantly insisting: "You are not mine, you need another!" He is always gloomy, angry, upset, and when she pretends to be asleep at night, he does not take his eyes off her. The oppression of jealousy torments him, and they both suffer terribly, but still, despite the decision made, they can not part. It got to the point that this morning he ran away from her, saying that we must finish everything. And so she came to Marcel for advice, asking him to teach her what to do. Marcel tells her that he and Musette are quite happy with their lives, always have songs, jokes, laughter, and there are no scenes and quarrels. Further from the words of Marcel, she finds out that Rudolph is now in the same tavern, he came here at dawn. Marcel wants to go and call him. But at this moment Rudolph himself leaves the tavern, and Mimi, following Marcel's advice, hides behind a tree. Rudolph declares to Marcel that he decided to part with Mimi, for he is no longer able to suffer. Marcel tells him that he stupidly suffers, gives importance to prejudice and is very jealous. Rudolph objected that Mimi was a coquette, ready to change him with the first veil. He confesses to his friend that it all makes him angry and tormented, because he loves Mimi madly. He is scared to see her suffering, especially since she is seriously ill, and she often has seizures of a consumptive cough. Meanwhile, he can not help her, his room is damp, cold and empty, and one love will not return her health and strength. Mimi, who had listened to the whole conversation, approaches her friends, exclaiming in despair that she now has only one thing - to die. Rudolph tries to console her, convinces him not to attach importance to what he said here. From a tavern suddenly bursts of laughter laughing at the smoking company Musette. Enraged, Marcel flees to the tavern to find out the cause of the girl's laughter and teach her how to behave frivolously. Between Mimi and Rudolph, there is a tender farewell scene. Mimi, saying goodbye, asks Rudolph to take a box from her room with her things and take it to the gatekeeper to give it to her. By the way, he will see her pink cap there. He can leave it to himself as a memory. They part ways, promising to meet each other again when the spring comes, and they both leave. At this time, the noise of the broken dishes is heard from the tavern. Musette runs out, followed by Marcel. A stormy scene takes place between them. Marcel pestered her with questions with whom she flirted, why, when he entered, she changed in the face. Musette answers that she was talking to some gentleman who asked if she loved dancing and whether she was at balls, and she blushed and replied that she was dreadfully fond of dancing and that freedom was dear to her. Marcel calls her a shameless coquette and says it's so unseemly to talk to strangers, and threatens to teach her a lesson. Musette argues that she does not want to be a submissive slave, that she loves, whom she likes, and cherishes only freedom. Marcel declares in response that he, too, does not want to decorate himself with horns and prefers to disperse. Musette throws him in the face: "Oh, you, tavern painter!" and, indignant, runs away. Marcel accompanies her with the words: "Furies, Witch!" and returns to the tavern.
The forth action.
Attic. Marcel is working on the picture. Rudolph writes at the table. Both try to surrender to work, but without effect. Rudolph tells his friend that he had recently seen Musette in a luxurious carriage with a liveried footman. At the meeting, she cutely bowed to him. He asked her: "How's the heart?" The cheat replied that her heart was hidden under the rotunda and it was difficult to get to it. Marcel tries to laugh, but he does it badly, and in turn tells Rudolph that he saw Mimi as she was traveling in a rich carriage, luxuriously dressed like a queen. This news leads Rudolph into a strong excitement, and he throws the pen aside. His example is followed by Marcel and throws his brush. Furtively from each other, Rudolph takes out Mimi's cap, and Marcel - Musette's ribbon, and covers them with kisses. Recalling the happiness of their love, both sing that they still love their windy friends, and call them to themselves. Enter Schonar with bread and Colin with a fold, which is a herring. All sit down at the table and start a modest meal. Schonar puts the hat of Colin on the table, into it - a decanter with water and says: "We need to freeze the champagne." Everyone jokes, magnifies, for the sake of fun, each others’ high titles, destroying a miserable dinner of bread and herring, assure each other that there are the most delicious dishes on the table. Schonar wants to sing a romance, but he is not allowed, and everyone decides to end his feast with dances. At the suggestion of the Colin, a quadrille is being danced, and two of the friends are portraying ladies. During the dances, Shonar and Colen quarrel and resolve the dispute with an improvised duel. The Colin grabs the forceps, and Schonar - the shoulder blade from the fireplace, and both fight with comic gestures. Rudolph and Marcel dance behind the fighting. At this moment Musette runs in, all excited, and with a tumbled voice informs them that Mimi is here, who part with her viscount and wants to return to Rudolph, but she is dangerously ill, she got sick on the way here, and she stayed on the stairs. Rudolph rushes desperately to the stairs, followed by Marcel. They help Mimi come in and carefully put her on the bed. Everyone takes care of her. Mimi hugs Rudolph and asks if she can stay with him. He replies: "Oh, yes, Mimi, forever, forever!" Musette wants to give her something reinforcing, but the house has neither wine nor coffee. Mimi is chilled, her hands are getting cold, and she asks to give her a muff to keep warm. But there is no muff in the house as well. Rudolph takes Mimi's hands in his and rubs them, but it does not help much. Mimi is tortured by a cough. Seeing Rudolph's friends, she joyfully welcomes them. After calling Marcel, she tells him that he does not doubt the good heart of Musette. Marcel, holding out his hand to Musetta, says that he loves her as before. Musette, insensibly to Mimi, takes out her earrings and passes them to Marcel with the order to sell them and buy medicine for Mimi and invite a doctor, and she goes after Marcel to find the muff. The Colin, in turn, takes off its cloak and goes to sell it to get at least some money for the poor Mimi and her friend. He leaves, taking Schonar with him to give Mimi and Rudolph time to be alone. After they leave, Mimi opens his eyes and, caressing Rudolph, tells him that she pretended to be asleep, to be alone with him, since she had so much to say to him. Rudolph takes Mimi's cap out of the waistcoat and hands it to her. Mimi cheerfully turns his head toward Rudolph, and he puts a cap over her. Mimi puts her head on Rudolph's shoulder, who sat down on her bed, and they indulge in sweet memories of the first days of their love. But suddenly an attack begins at Mimi, she lowers her head. Rudolph in horror exclaims "My God!" Schonar comes to his shout and runs up to Mimi. She opens her eyes and smiles. Musette returned with a muff and Marcel with a medicine. Marcel says that he invited a doctor for Mimi who is now coming, and brought everything necessary. Musette gives Mimi a muff. Mimi lifts up herself with the help of her friend and puts on the muff joyously as a child. Putting her hands in the muff, she falls asleep with the sleep of death. Musette wants to warm up something on the spirit lamp for the sick Mimi and pray to God to prolong her life. Everyone is shocked. The Colin quietly enters and puts money on the table in front of Musetta, saying: "Musetta, here you are." In the meantime, Schonar approaches the bed and, seeing Mimi's lifeless features, with a desperation in his voice, quietly tells Marcel that the girl is dead. Rudolph guesses about the terrible denouement and sobbing with a sob at Mimi's lifeless body. Musette kneels before her friend from the opposite side of Rudolph, issuing desperate shouts. Schonar falls exhausted into a chair. Colin stands at the foot of the bed, struck by the speed of the tragedy. Marcel weeps.
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