Opera Kelowna to present La boheme

Opera Kelowna presents Giacomo Puccini’s La boheme, Aug. 18-19 at 7:30 p.m. at the Kelowna Community Theatre.

One of the world’s most frequently performed operas, the romantic, heart-wrenching tale follows a close-knit circle of poets, painters, and performers who struggle for art and love amidst poverty and hardship. Though it was originally set in the 1830s, Opera Kelowna’s production draws on the fashion and style of the 1920s to craft a unique and compelling aesthetic.

Based on Henri Murger’s 1851 novel, Scenes from the Bohemian Life, the opera is set in the frigid cold of a Paris winter. Its narrative follows the intertwined lives and loves of a small group of friends.

Making his North American debut is Chilean tenor Leon de la Guardia playing Rodolfo. Playing opposite de la Guardia as Mimi is Edmonton-born soprano Ana Toumine, who recently played as Rosalinde in Opera McGill’s Die Fledermaus.

Giacomo Puccini (1858–1924) was an Italian composer who discovered his true calling in 1876, after walking nearly 20 miles to attend a production of Verdi’s Aida. The experience planted the seeds of what would become one of opera’s most prolific and celebrated careers. Today, Puccini is known for composing some of the greatest operas of all-time, including La boheme, Tosca, Madama Butterfly, and Turandot.

A series of free concerts and community engagements will support and inform La boheme’s run. More details can be found at: operakelowna.com/2017-summer-concert-series.