La Boheme

[french frank]

Bring it on!

No idea on the etymological origins - more complicated than I thought.

Bohême - a place, bohème - a way of life

Funny, I don't find the opera at all 'sentimental maundering'. But perhaps <ah!> one just has to have lived the life in the Quartier Latin to truly appreciate it …

[Barbirollians]

I do not think it to be the slightest of " sentimental maundering " if conducted and sung well . It needs to be taken seriously rather than treated as the first musical .

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I do not think it to be the slightest of " sentimental maundering " if conducted and sung well . It needs to be taken seriously rather than treated as the first musical .

[Conchis]

I do not think it to be the slightest of " sentimental maundering " if conducted and sung well . It needs to be taken seriously rather than treated as the first musical .

No, that would be Carmen.

[verismissimo]

No, that would be Carmen.

No, that would be Le Postillon de Longjumeau...

[Don Basilio]

It's not good being negative about something others love, so I would have been better off shutting up. But it does leave me cold. Sorry.

[Conchis]

It's not good being negative about something others love, so I would have been better off shutting up. But it does leave me cold. Sorry.

Were you, by any chance, told how wonderful it was before you actually saw/heard it? That never helps, in my experience.

I suppose it's a bit daring that it's implied Mimi and Rodolfo go to bed together after their first meeting.

[french frank]

It's not good being negative about something others love, so I would have been better off shutting up. But it does leave me cold. Sorry.

Nobody agrees with anyone else here, Don B, about anything (much) Where would we be without disagreements?

I'd have to say that for me, the Puccini 'sentimental maundering' is more apparent in Mme Butterfly, with the introduction of That Child. But that's another topic.

[gradus]

'Sentimental maundering'!! - I'll take the bait. You're right about at least one of our number disagreeing with you. Difficult to see how the story would work without 'That Child'.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Nobody agrees with anyone else here, Don B, about anything (much)

I agree with you about that.

[Barbirollians]

The death of Mirella Freni prompted me to buy both the full set of her recording with HVK and with Schippers on Warner .The former gloriously indulgent - the latter wonderfully dramatic and Gedda’s singing is marvellously heartfelt . What endless pleasure this opera can provide.

[vibratoforever]

The death of Mirella Freni prompted me to buy both the full set of her recording with HVK and with Schippers on Warner .The former gloriously indulgent - the latter wonderfully dramatic and Gedda’s singing is marvellously heartfelt . What endless pleasure this opera can provide.

Have been listening a lot lately to the HVK set which has such glorious singing, not just from Freni and Pavarotti, but Rolando Panerai, also to be heard on Barbirolli's Butterfly. Panerai passed away a few months ago at the age of 95 and this video was done a year ago

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSSOMPu8QMA

[Barbirollians]

Gosh -Freni is marvellous in Act 3 of the EMI Schippers .

[greenilex]

A thrill to hear Panerai at any age. Thanks. In a sense he does play his citarra for ever, as long as we can listen.

[gradus]

Have been listening a lot lately to the HVK set which has such glorious singing, not just from Freni and Pavarotti, but Rolando Panerai, also to be heard on Barbirolli's Butterfly. Panerai passed away a few months ago at the age of 95 and this video was done a year ago

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSSOMPu8QMA

I agree about the splendour of the HvK set which put in an appearance on Anne Mackaneny's selection of music last Sat afternoon, in particular the superb singing of Musetta's waltz with Elizabeth Harewood and Panerai in splendid voice. Oddly though the recording sounded much less full-bodied than the LPs. Digital remastering?