AUSTRALIAN OPERA'S ESSO NIGHT AT THE OPERA, THE: LA BOHEME {1989 INTERNATIONAL EMMY AWARD} (TV)
Summary
An International Emmy Award-winning production of Giacomo Puccini's opera "La Bohme," performed at the Sydney Opera House on August 31, 1988, and featuring Australian soprano Glenys Fowles and American tenor Neil Rosenheim in his first season with the Australian Opera. Act I begins on Christmas Eve. In a cold studio, painter Marcello and his friend Rodolfo, a poet, are joined by Colline, a philosopher, and Schaunard, a musician. The four of them feast on food the recently employed Schaunard bought, until they are interrupted by the landlord Benoit. After getting Benoit to leave, everyone but Rodolfo goes out to CafŽ Momus. Rodolfo stays behind to work on an article and is interrupted when Mimi, a neighbor, stops by. Mimi and Rodolfo end up hitting it off; Rodolfo tells her his hopes for the future, and Mimi opens up about her lonely life. The two of them finally leave to meet the others at the cafŽ. In Act II, Rodolfo buys Mimi a new bonnet at a shop near the cafŽ. They meet up with Rodolfo's friends; after the toy vendor Parpignol passes through, everyone sits down for dinner. Marcello's old lover Musetta shows up on the arm of her elderly boyfriend Alcindoro. Musetta causes a scene, struggling to get Marcello to acknowledge her. Finally, she fakes a foot injury and insists Alcindoro get her shoe fixed. With Alcindoro gone, Musetta and Marcello embrace. Everyone leaves in a flurry, sticking Alcindoro with the dinner bill. Act III opens at the Barriere D'Enfer, a tollgate in Paris. Mimi wanders through the snow to a nearby tavern and finds Marcello. She tells him about her recent problems with Rodolfo and then pretends to leave. Subsequently, Rodolfo emerges from the tavern. He tells Marcello that he doesn't think he can live with Mimi anymore and eventually admits his guilt over their poverty and her resulting ill health. Rodolfo is shocked when Mimi emerges from her hiding spot; they talk about their relationship and end up walking home together. Marcello goes back inside the tavern to check on Musetta; they have a big fight because Musetta refuses to stop flirting with other men. In Act IV, Rodolfo and Marcello are back in their studio, reminiscing about Musetta and Mimi. Colline and Schaunard show up with dinner, and the four friends have a great time -- until Musetta arrives with Mimi, who is gravely ill. In order to get money for medicine, Musetta sells her earrings and Colline pawns his beloved coat. Mimi and Rodolfo are left with a few precious moments alone. After the others return, Mimi dies quietly in her bed.
Details
- NETWORK: ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) (Australia)
- DATE: November 27, 1988 8:30 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:56:36
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T:16037
- GENRE: Music
- SUBJECT HEADING: International Collection - Australia; Operas
- SERIES RUN: ABC (Australia) - TV, 1988
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Gil Brealey … Executive Producer
- Virginia Lumsden … Producer , Director
- Henry Prokop … Associate Producer
- Andrew Sinclair … Director, Choral Director
- Henry Murger … Based on the book by
- Giacomo Puccini … Music by
- Giuseppe Giacosa … Librettist
- Luigi Illica … Librettist
- Carlo Felice Cillario … Conductor
- Elizabethan Philharmonic Orchestra, The … Symphony Orchestra
- Leo Schofield … Announcer
- David Lemke … Cast, Schaunard
- John Wegner … Cast, Colline
- Rosamund Illing … Cast, Musetta
- John Germain … Cast, Benoit
- Alan Light … Cast, Alcindoro
- Jin Tea Kim … Cast, Parpignol
- Graeme Williams … Cast, Customs Sergeant
- Guido Martin … Cast, Customs Officer
- John Fulford … Cast, Marcello
- Neil Rosenshein … Cast, Rodolfo
- Glenys Fowles … Cast, Mimi