67. La bohème

First performance: 1 February 1896 at the Teatro Regio, Turin.
Cast: Cesira Ferrani (Mimì), Camilla Pasini (Musetta), Evan Gorga (Rodolfo), Tieste Wilmant (Marcello), Antonio Pini Corsi (Schaunard), Michele Mazzara (Colline); conductor: Arturo Toscanini.

First performance of the definitive version: 13 June 1898 at the Opéra-Comique, Paris.
Cast: Julia Guiraudon (Mimì), Jeanne Tiphaine (Musetta), Adolphe Maréchal (Rodolfo), Max Bouvet (Marcello), Lucien Fugère (Schaunard), Jacques Isnardon (Colline); conductor: Alexandre Luigini.

Mimì (Soprano)
Musetta (Soprano)
Rodolfo, poeta (Tenor)
Marcello, pittore (Baritone)
Schaunard, musicista (Baritone)
Colline, filosofo (Bass)
Parpignol (Tenor)
Benoit, padrone di casa (Bass)
Alcindoro, consigliere di stato (Bass)
Sergente dei Doganieri (Bass)

Chorus: Soprano I, II, Tenor I, II, Bass I, II, “Voci bianchi” [children].

Piccolo, 2 Flutes, 2 Oboes, English horn, 2 Clarinets, Bass clarinet, 2 Bassoons, 4 Horns, 3 Trumpets, 3 Trombones, Bass trombone, Timpani, Drum, Musical glasses (bicchieri), Triangle, Cymbals, Bass drum, Xylophone, Carillon, Little bells (campanelle), Harp, Strings;
Stage Band: 4 Fifes (pifferi), 6 Trumpets, 6 Drums.

Balestrieri 1951; Hopkinson 1968, pp. 14-19; Gherardi 1977, pp. 289-92; Groos and Parker 1986; Maehder 1986; Maehder 1987; Schickling 1989, pp. 109-36; Foletto 1990; Kelkel 1995; Fairtile 1996; Budden 2002, pp. 131-80.