I already have a copy of this opera which was released in the U.K. It’s a great production with these two opera stars Anna Netrebko and Rolando Villazon.These two singers together is like having Jeanette Macdonald and Nelson Eddy once again performing

This is a wonderful film – somewhat unlike a staged opera. Their singing and drama are just luscious. You really get the feeling of young lovers and are literally moved to tears as Mimi succumbs to consumption.

I am starved for more operas on KCET. I contribute every year as much as I can afford. Alvin I. Solomon

Just finished watching this beautiful film. Moving, compelling, a delight to watch and heavenly to listen to.

I have seen La Boheme many times , but this performance envelopes one into the soul of the story more than I dreamed possible. Anna Netrebko and Roland Villazon were so believable in their roles and their voices divine.

A. D. Lerner

This performance is as riveting as the most compelling Masterpiece Theater!

What a beautiful production. Thank you PBS for bringing the incredible music of Puccini and gorgeous staging of this film to my home. I absolutely love opera and I love public television!!!

I was moved deeply, by this intimate version of La Boheme, beautifully done.
The connection and passion between the two performers, is incredibly real ,emotions exuding off the screen. Everyone should experience this .

I have just watched this opera on Great Performances. La Boheme is one of my two favorite operas and I’ve seen it performed in Rome, Venice, New York and elsewhere but this is the most riveting performance I’ve ever seen. Anna Netrebko as Mimi and Rolando Villazón as Rodolfo sing superbly in a match made in heaven.

This production was so moving. The intimacy of the camera work and the gorgeous music and singing made this an overwhelming experience. I would love to see a complete list of the singers and the name of the orchestra and conductor. Thank you, PBS, for this treat.

Aren’t there any other members of this cast, or is there some reason why pbs.org can’t devote enough air time for its audience to see who the other cast members are? Is OPERA so discounted here that the following (excerpted from above):

“Produced by Jan Mojto, Kurt J. Mrkwicka and Jeffrey D. Vanderveen, with Andreas Kamm and Oliver Auspitz as executive producers, La Bohème is a production of Unitel Classica and MR-Film Production, with the support of ORF Film-/Fernsehabkommen, Osterreichisches Filminstitut, and Filmfonds Wien, in association with IMG and Deutsche Grammophon in co-production with ZDF.

Great Performances is funded by the Irene Diamond Fund, the Anna- Maria and Stephen Kellen Arts Fund, Vivian Milstein, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, public television viewers and PBS.

For Great Performances, John Walker is senior producer, Bill O’Donnell is series producer and David Horn is executive producer,”

is more important than your providing your viewers with the names of those “others,” e.g., Marcello, Musetta, etc., that brought to life for us this most beloved Puccini opera?

You are so shortsighted in your classical programming here, I sometimes “can’t come to” from it!

Have just finished viewing this production! It was delicious. The singing, acting, camera, and thoughtfulness of the plot were merged beautifully in this compelling opera! A Winner….

Unfortunately, opera and ballet productions never willingly lend themselves to cinematic renditions – and this film version of Puccini’s La Boheme is no exception. Boheme is an especially intimate and delicate story, which plays out very well on the operatic stage. Filming the story dilutes the intimacy – and it cannot be saved with endless excruciating closeups of Mimi (Anna Netrebko) and Rodolpho (Rolando Villazon).

The first two acts – through no fault of the singers – ranged from mediocre to just plain awful, and left me feeling as cold as a winter in Paris. Somehow, through the unromantic murkiness, I kept thinking two thoughts: Rodolpho looked unnervingly like Edgar Allan Poe and Mimi’s bright red frock seemed more suited to Musetta’s wardrobe. My eyes kept roving to her cleavage.

Just when I was about to give up, Act Three arrived and this was the production’s saving grace. It was beautifully filmed and touchingly performed, and it fully captured the essence of the story.

The final act was also very good, although certainly not the most memorable La Boheme finale. The brief black and white sequence, where Mimi is obviously thinking rather than singing, is a nicely unique touch. Perhaps a second viewing will soften my opinion, but I still much prefer to see opera performed on stage where it belongs.

I agree with all the responses above — a beautiful and lively production that made the characters very real as young people.
But — who was the orchestra conductor? In addition to the two major stars, who were the other singers? It was impossible to read the credits on the screen (seen on Dec. 23 2009). I would be grateful for any additional information you can provide.

This may be a repeat – not sure if first message went through. I agree with all the responses above -
it was a wonderful, rich, living presentation of this beloved work.
But – who was the orchestra director? Who were the other singers? The credits ran so quickly that it was impossible to obtain any additional names.
Can you provide this information to me by e_mail please? I would be most grateful.

La Boheme was my first entry into opera as a high schooler and this performance is the best I’ve seen. I would have given it 5 out of 5 except for the subtitles which are the worst I’ve ever seen. I can’t believe this was released this way. A third grader could have done a better job. 3 out of 5.

Would that all opera films were as beautiful as this! Authentic settings–the street scenes were magical–and costuming, and instantly engaging artist types and banter,–all were worthy of the glorious music and lush voices! What a great Christmas treat! Thank you PBS!

Yikes! Please, please everyone who liked this performance rent a copy of the Zeffirelli production with Teresa Stratas, Jose Carreras, Renata Scotto, and Alan Monk (1982). No disrespect to the vocal performance of the stars of tonight’s performance, but the staging is muddled and the dubbing is distracting. The 1982 version has amazing staging that adds tremendous subtlety and poignancy to a gorgeous libretto (that is somewhat squashed here, with the unconnected stage business and poor subtitles).And really, who can top Renata Scotto making her entrance with a carriage drawn by two white horses? You will be delighted.

While I very much enjoyed tonight’s performance, I too would like to know all the supporting cast. plus their Bios. but failing their bios at least their names so I can look up their Bios
Other Opera on film should include La Traviata also set in Paris and using Le Petit Trianon as the country residence – it even has birdsong inadvertently recorded. I never saw Stratas in Boheme, but I did see her film of Traviata which also had Alan Monk in it

White subtitles against white snow: Brilliant!

Scrolling credits at prestissimo-miles-per-hour: Shameful.

riviting!! fantastic…but here at wpbs miami fl we did not see act 3…germont’s georgeous plea to mimi…the editing was not smooth…but the voices, never revealed were beautiful…
tosca, my favorite…magnificant voices…who were they? in future, please reveal thesingers’ names.

Beautiful music and and acting and directing. I was totally involved with the production more than in any opera I have ever seen. Thank you.

All I really waited for was ” Quando m’en vo” and then I never found out who sang Musetta. Poor show. Insulting to the other singers.

Thank you, thank you, thank you. How absolutely beautiful, and I am so grateful that I have lived long enough to see this wonderful interpretation of one of my favorite operas.

I don’t see a rant space here so l’ll condense. Boheme? Again? Low expectations-pulled in by excellent singing of Everybody Else. Stayed with it by turning off the color (19th C effect) and mostly ignoring the Big Moments. Finally got to: wow this is a fine job of bringing these people to life. There’s a lot to like and freshly handled. Decided to drop comparisons and stay with it. Schaunard made me do it.
God! WHO is that MUSETTA? Finally! OK I’m in. Absence of cliche is good. Who ARE these other SINGERS? Act 4 engrossed in the drama/pathos. Very moved by An-uh-Mimi’s passing. This is how I ought to feel after this opera…teary and aesthetically transported. Curtain down. WHAM. The Making Of La Boheme!
Here’s the bottom line my unknown fellow watchers with too high artistic expectations: the gatekeepers could not possibly care less what your experience of this production was; whether you find out the names of NotBigStar singers, or anything else about this deal. Just buy the T-shirt. Anna Netrebko or Hannah Montana. The viewers who are held in highest contempt are the ones who think art actually exsists, and actually want to know more about it. Well, it is hard to get them to buy the T-shirt. Anyway, my thanks to the grunts who made this production rewarding, especially Nichole Cabell (hey, I finally found your name! )…may you thrive, and sing longer than Placido Domingo.

Curtain down and WHAM! The Making Of La Boheme!

BTW it’s not your local PBS station’s fault . Send them all the love you can.

Before I give my opinion, I want to express my deepest gratitude to PBS for airing La Boheme – please continue to make more opera available! La Boheme is certainly one of the few operas that can be translated into film and it was a decent effort. Anna Netrebko and Rolando Villazón were wonderful, as well as the rest of the cast. Most of it was hard for me to watch, however. The scene with Mimi, Marcello and Rodolfo in the snow was well done. The ending was anti-climatic and didn’t have its usual affect on me. Why don’t you try to do what the MET did and film the actual stage performances? They did a great job and then aired them in movie theatres charging $18pp. A new fundraising idea perhaps?

I tuned in just as the overture was finishing. I came to your website to find the credits for the best realization of La Boheme that I have heard or seen. You have disappointed me. You can still fix this!

I’ve already given my thoughts about this production of La Boheme(above, #13), but I’d like to add something else. Many people are wondering who was in the cast besides Netrebko and Villazon. It is almost an IMPOSSIBILITY to find them anywhere, but this is what I discovered after a tedious search:

Nicole Cabell (Musetta), George Von Bergen (Marcello), Adrian Erod (Schaunard).

Other cast members included Stephane Degout, Boaz Daniel, Tiziano Bracci.

If any of these are in error, please correct me.

Bravo Bravo Well Done

Bravo Well Done

beautiful will you show it again please?

well done please air again-so good to hear and see opera

The director distroyed, amongst other things, the powerful ending. I was moved to my usual tears and then a bad diretorial choice distracted me. Rudolfo sobs his “Mimi – Mimi” and walks away. I asked myself “where is he going?” Ah ha! The director has a trick zoom shot that absolutly kills the moment. In Act I Miss Netrebko, with her perfect makeup and red dress, hardly looked like Mimi. There was never any sense that she was cold. In the last act why didn’t anyone cover the poor, sleveless, cold Mimi? I fully agree with comment #18 (Julie Stofeu) that THE La Boheme to see is Therese Stratas in the Zefferili production. Opera from a live stage performance is much more honest than a filmed version. A movie only accentuates the artificiality of opera. And finally, yes, who were the artists and conductor of this musicaly excelent performance?

Ditto Mr. Izen, right on! Conducting was too slow, loses the comedy elements. What happened the the TB ridden Mimi in act one.o The character is ill and tire from working embroidering flowers, not the streets as her costuming suggests. Musetta was well done. Good contrast with Mimi. The consummate Boheme film was Carreras-Strata where the opera was filmed, we do not need more than that. The Met did it right! Credits ran too fast, could not read them

Anna Netrebko-Mimi
Rolando Villazon- Rodolfo
Nicole Cabell- Musetta
Adrian Erod- Schaunard
Ioan Holender- Alcindoro
Vitalij Kowaljow- Colinne
George von Bergen- Marcello
Very well done movie, have seen this opera in many theaters- from Bolshoi to Met- this is my favorite one. Of course it is hard to do wrong with Netrebko and Villazon starring, even though at times he looks like the sick one!

I saw for a fleeting moment where one can buy the DVD or CD for this wonderful opera. Where can I buy it?

The harsh color filters made Rodolfo look like the person about to die rather than Mimi. And, deleting the last two chords of Act III was unforgiveable

I viewed the performance twice and think it is superlative. Well done and thank you for providing this quality of art.

Thank you, PBS. This broadcast was the best Christmas gift ever!

Absolutely wonderful and could not stop the tears. Where can I purchase the DVD/CD????? It flashed on the screen shortly, is it available at Amazon, etc.???????????????

It was great to see this production on a snowy afternoon, but PLEASE list the whole cast. In Chicago especially, we care a lot about the chance to see Nicole Cabell who was part of the Lyric Opera for some wonderful years. Respect artists!!

Taking the obvious mistakes out; mistakes such as singers singing high B flats, facing each other, with mouths so close to each other that they could exchange a tic-tac with one small licking motion, or the unforgiveable erasing of the last two chords which end ACT III, or Mimi’s healthy chest as seen in her ACT I costume, this is an enjoyable interpretation of this wonderful work. Opera was created for the theatre and should be experienced in that way.

I cannot believe I missed this! Our PBS outlet in Los Angeles (KCET) so regularly airs programs like this on different dates than elsewhere, I just assumed it wouldn’t run La Boheme until sometime after the Holidays. Fortunately, I got to see the Met’s new Tosca in hi def at the cinema. Otherwise, I’d still be waiting. Perhaps either KOCE in Orange County (which showed reruns of Christmas programs with the Three Tenors and with Andrea Bocelli last Wednesday) or KVCR in the Inland Empire (which ran old Jack Benny programs) will get around to showing Boheme sometime soon. Though there’s nothing like seeing opera on the stage, there have been some remarkable opera films. My favorite is Zeffirelli’s Traviata with Stratas (in a performance that I thought was Oscar-worthy) and Domingo, but I also fondly remember the 1951 Hoffmann with Robert Rounseville in the title role and a Russian Onegin from the 1950s with Galina Vishnevskaya singing, but not appearing, as Tatiana.

Never have been on the PBS site under Great Performances but wanted to read up on the comments after watching La Boheme (WTCI). Our family loved it! Just wonderful to watch. I only listen to classical music during the day at work…too much garbage/chatter up and down the radio dial! Thank you PBS for the broadcast of such a beautiful story with song. At least regular folk here in the country have a way of enjoying classical performances without going to the opera itself and paying through the nose for what may be some very bad performances!

I have always loved this opera, however, I never teared up until this glorious offering on PBS done by two wonderful and absolutely believable performers. Hats off to all involved with bringing us true beauty. Thank-You

One of the enjoyable opera experiences that I have ever had.
Thank you all!

My best Christmas present!!!! Thanks for the tears and the joy!

January 8 of the new decade.
I missed the event…Shade!
The music? In the soul!
Anna Netrebko? ITune!

When will this movie be scheduled again?

Filmed opera sometime can be an oxymoron. You can do a lot of things otherwise impossible to be done in an opera stage. Sure all the dramatic effects are obvious in this production, but you can also tend to notice flaws, such as poor dubbing, overacted characters. I think the director just wanted to profit from one of most bankable opera couple at that time, dubbed with recording, and voila! a mediocre production. Poor Mr. Villazon, the camera seem not to love him during close ups…

Where can I buy a copy of this performance?

Please when are you airing the cinematic version of La Boheme again, it’s magnificent!!!!!!!!!!

Hi Jocelyn,
Are you the Smith alum living in Switzerland ? I sent an invitation for a Smith alum luncheon in Geneva to the e-mail address I had for you but it bounced back. Where are you now ?
All best,
Anne

I’ve La Boheme, different productions, on different stages, I’ve seen and listened to many other operas, but this is the first time when I really “heard” the lyrics. The experience of understanding the majesty of the music into simple words it is a religious experience. No prayer(forgive me Lord) or gospel elevated my spirit the way it did this particular performance.
I wonder would it be possible for PBS to give access to people to watch on line such programming for a week or twonafter broadcasting?

January 22 .. .I just watched this and for the most part enjoyed it. The dubbing was occasionally distracting, but the supporting characters (well, if you can call Marcello a supporting character) looked good. Anna Netrebko is a delight to see and hear and Villazon was quite believable. Yes, I wasn’t thrilled with Mimi’s red dress, but it wasn’t the worst choice in the production. Mimi coming in with bare arms in the last act was a surprise and should have been a hint of what was to come. Her hands were cold, good grief, what about the rest of her? Frankly, I didn’t care for the choice of her “thinking” the final aria, the music soars and Rodolfo starts singing in response to her “thoughts”? But what was really jarring and wrecked this for me was the final scene … Rodolfo sobs out “Mimi, Mimi,” and barely touches her face … and instead of what I believe Puccini intended, the effect of Mimi’s death on the people around her, the camera drew back and all we saw was dead Mimi all by herself. I think I understand what the director intended, but I do not think that was at all what the composer intended. Some nice things about the production, but I’d rather watch a filmed version of a live performance. I love the Met HD series. Still, I appreciate PBS broadcasting any opera!

One problem I have with all the Met productions is that you had better not miss the openings or you won’t get another chance to learn what opera you are watching. The title doesn’t appear again, ever.

Tis is a remarkable production for its singing, scenery, music and interpretation. A must see for all opera fans.

If you like that…I have a digital bridge I want to sell you too .

Only available on US itunes site? i cant buy it on my swedish itunes.