La bohème is a captivating story about friendship, love, and survival.
The Classic - La Bohème by Giuseppe Giacosa
Four young men, a poet, a painter, a musician, and a philosopher, live together in a small Parisian apartment until a girl knocks on their door and changes their lives.
If you’ve seen the musical Rent, the plotline may sound familiar. Rent is loosely based on this week’s classic selection La Bohème, the libretto written by Giuseppe Giacosa and Luigi Illica. Historically, La Bohème is considered one of the earlier attempts to move opera away from the Kings and Queens to more relatable characters. The key to the move was to use the great sorrows felt by all humans: love, envy, loss, and heartbreak. La Bohème is an insanely popular opera – some even call it the “first opera to watch if you’re new to opera” because of the main criticism surrounding it – it’s a simple story. The commitment to creating characters that viewers found themselves in has helped the opera to stand the test of time.
La Boheme
by Giacosa, Giuseppe - Illica, Luig
Read a preview of La Boheme.
Initially based on Scènes de la vie de bohème (1851), La bohème follows the trials and tribulations of young artists struggling to make ends meet. Despite their circumstance, they celebrate small wins, while seeking love and opportunity.
La bohème is an Italian opera that centers a group of up-and-coming artists. This includes Rodolfo, a poet, Mimì, a seamstress, Marcello, a painter and Musetta, a singer. Together, they attempt to earn a living from their respective crafts. Rodolfo and Marcello struggle to maintain their relationships with Mimì and Musetta, who are likely to attract wealthier suitors. In the midst of romance troubles and a professional drought, Mimì's health becomes a cause for concern.
La bohème is a captivating story about friendship, love and survival. Giuseppe Giacosa and Luigi Illica's opera offers a compelling narrative with memorable moments. It's a romantic tale that highlights hope in the face of tragedy.
Our Modern Companion - The House of Impossible Beauties by Joseph Cassara
We’ve paired La Bohème with The House of Impossible Beauties by Joseph Cassara. This highly reviewed book from 2018 emphasized the importance of one’s chosen family.
The House of Impossible Beauties
by Cassara, Joseph
Read a preview of The House of Impossible Beauties.
NAMED A RECOMMENDED BOOK OF 2018 BY Buzzfeed - The Wall Street Journal - The Millions - Southern Living - Bustle - Esquire - Entertainment Weekly - Nylon - Mashable - Libary Journal - Thrillist
"Cassaras's propulsive and profound first novel, finding one's home in the world--particularly in a subculture plagued by fear and intolerance from society--comes with tragedy as well as extraordinary personal freedom." -- Esquire
A gritty and gorgeous debut that follows a cast of gay and transgender club kids navigating the Harlem ball scene of the 1980s and '90s, inspired by the real House of Xtravaganza made famous by the seminal documentary Paris Is Burning
It's 1980 in New York City, and nowhere is the city's glamour and energy better reflected than in the burgeoning Harlem ball scene, where seventeen-year-old Angel first comes into her own. Burned by her traumatic past, Angel is new to the drag world, new to ball culture, and has a yearning inside of her to help create family for those without. When she falls in love with Hector, a beautiful young man who dreams of becoming a professional dancer, the two decide to form the House of Xtravaganza, the first-ever all-Latino house in the Harlem ball circuit. But when Hector dies of AIDS-related complications, Angel must bear the responsibility of tending to their house alone.
As mother of the house, Angel recruits Venus, a whip-fast trans girl who dreams of finding a rich man to take care of her; Juanito, a quiet boy who loves fabrics and design; and Daniel, a butch queen who accidentally saves Venus's life. The Xtravaganzas must learn to navigate sex work, addiction, and persistent abuse, leaning on each other as bulwarks against a world that resists them. All are ambitious, resilient, and determined to control their own fates, even as they hurtle toward devastating consequences.
Told in a voice that brims with wit, rage, tenderness, and fierce yearning, The House of Impossible Beauties is a tragic story of love, family, and the dynamism of the human spirit.
Discover more classics and their modern companion each week.