La Bohème
Atlanta Opera

We know that Rent was adapted from Giacomo Puccini, but in actuality he adapted it from a novel by Henri Murger in the 1890s. Albeit may be sung in Italian, it really was sent in an artist’s garrett in Paris circa 1830. And by 1900 had been playing around the opera world including London and New York, etc.

Directed by Tomer Zvulun, the two male friends are Rodolfo (Long Long) and Marcello (Zachery Nelson). Schaunard (Jongwon Han), Alcindroro (Philip Kocorinos) also come and go onstage and in the local parks; while you dive into to the romance and health problems being dealt with by Musetta (Madison Leonard) and poor Mimi (Gabriella Reyes). Mimi lives downstairs but she’s got tragic illness which ends the only way it could.

One of the incredible assets of this production is that you don’t often see a standard opera brought to the stage with maybe more than 50 players at times. With great stage settings, costumes, props and voices that will resonate well beyond the four fairly short acts; this is one like Carmen in that it appeals to everybody, is a good one for introduciing young attendees to opera, and suitable for folks of all ethnicity and ages.

It closes January 28th, so if you sleep, you lose. Grab some seats and head for the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Center. Full info and tickets at AtlantaOpera.org