La bohème 1967
Jealousy and poverty cannot diminish the Bohemian’s comradeship…
…nor Rodolfo’s bond of love that gives Mimì ultimate peace. Puccini’s enduring love story illuminates the lives of struggling artists in 1830’s Paris.
Synopsis
Act I
Marcello, an artist, and Rodolfo, a poet, try to keep warm in their Latin Quarter garret on Christmas Eve by feeding the stove pages from Rodolfo’s drama. Before long, they are joined by their roommates, Colline, a philosopher, and Schaunard, a musician, who arrive bringing food and money. In high spirits, all but Rodolfo leave for the Café Momus; he promises to join them later. A young neighbor, Mimi, enters requesting a light for her candle which has gone out. As she is about to leave, she discovers that she has lost her room key and her candle is again blown out by a draft from the door. Rodolfo blows out his own candle and the two search for the key in the now-darkened room. He takes Mimi’s hand and tells her of his dreams, and she tells him of her simple life. The others call from the street and Mimi and Rodolfo decide to go to the Café together.
Act II
Amid the cries of street vendors, Rodolfo buys Mimi a bonnet inside the Café Momus. The poet introduces Mimi to his friends and they select a table for their Christmas Eve celebration. Musetta, Marcello’s former sweetheart, makes a spirited entrance on the arm of her rich new admirer, the elderly Alcindoro. At first she teases Marcello, and then, pretending that her shoe pinches, sends Alcindoro to have it repaired. As Alcindoro returns, the others run off leaving him with the bill from the Café.
Act III
Mimi enters in search of the Inn where Marcello and Musetta are now living. Mimi tells Marcello of Rodolfo’s incessant jealousy and says that they must part. Rodolfo comes out and Mimi hides, listening. The poet tells Marcello that he must separate from Mimi because her illness can only grow worse in the poverty in which they are living. Mimi comes out of her hiding place to bid farewell to Rodolfo. They exchange memories of their happiness, and decide to stay together for the winter.
Act IV
Separated from their lovers, Rodolfo and Marcello try to work but find it difficult to concentrate. Colline and Schaunard join them and the four stage a mock ball. Suddenly, Musetta rushes in, announcing that Mimi is dying and has asked to return to the garret where she and Rodolfo have been so happy. Rodolfo and Mimi are left alone and recall happier times together. As the others return with food and medicine, Mimi dies.
Artists
Doris Yarick
Soprano
Mimi (July 5 - 22)
Doris Yarick
SFO Debut:
Baby Doe, The Ballad of Baby Doe, 1961
Past Seasons:
The Cook, Le Rossignol, 1969
Pamina, The Magic Flute, 1969
Despina, Così fan tutte, 1969
Susanna, The Marriage of Figaro, 1967
Mimi, La bohème, 1967(July 5 – 22)
Daughter of Cardillac, Cardillac, 1967
Anne, The Rake’s Progress, 1966
Susanna, The Marriage of Figaro, 1964
Mimi, La bohème, 1964
Sophie, Der Rosenkavalier, 1963
Anne, The Rake’s Progress, 1962
Parasha, Mavra, 1962
St. Margaret, Joan of Arc at the Stake, 1962
Despina, Così fan tutte, 1962
Musetta, La bohème, 1961
Micaela, Carmen, 1961
Mildred Allen
Soprano
Mimi (July 29 - August 26)
Mildred Allen
Hometown: Mississippi
SFO Debut:
Madame Butterfly, Madame Butterfly, 1957 (July 12)
Past Seasons:
Mimi, La bohème, 1967 (July 29 – August 26)
Micaela, Carmen, 1967
Madame Butterfly, Madame Butterfly, 1965
Susanna, The Marriage of Figaro, 1965
Costanza, The Stag King, 1965
Zerlina, Don Giovanni, 1963
Madame Butterfly, Madame Butterfly, 1963
St. Margaret, Joan of Arc at the Stake, 1963
La Chauve-Souris/La Princesse, L’enfant et les sortilèges, 1963
Susanna, The Marriage of Figaro, 1960
Anne, The Rake’s Progress, 1960
Madame Butterfly, Madame Butterfly, 1959
Adele, Die Fledermaus, 1959
Alexandra Giddens, Regina, 1959
Mimi, La bohème, 1958
Despina, Così fan tutte, 1958
Nanetta, Falstaff, 1958
Isabella, Wuthering Heights, 1958
Patricia Wise
Soprano
Musetta
Patricia Wise
Hometown: Wichita, KS
SFO Debut:
Musetta, La bohème, 1967
Santa Fe Opera Apprentice: 1965, 1966
Past Seasons:
Papagena, The Magic Flute, 1968
Dying One/Soul, Die Jakobsleiter, 1968
Clorinda, Cinderella, 1966
John Alexander
Tenor
Rodolfo (July 5 - 22)
John Alexander
Hometown: Meridian, MS
SFO Debut:
Cavaradossi, Tosca, 1966 (August 13)
Past Seasons:
Pinkerton, Madame Butterfly, 1968 (July 2 – 12)
Rodolfo, La bohème, 1967 (July 5 – 22)
Glade Peterson
Tenor
Rodolfo (July 29 - August 26)
Glade Peterson
Hometown: Fairview, UT
SFO Debut:
Don José, Carmen, 1964 (July 18, August 15 – 21)
Past Seasons:
Don José, Carmen, 1967
Rodolfo, La bohème, 1967 (July 29 – August 26)
Cavaradossi, Tosca, 1966 (August 17 – 25)
Leukippos, Daphne, 1964 (July 29)
Rodolfo, La bohème, 1964 (August 7 – 19)
George Fortune
Baritone
Marcello
George Fortune
Hometown: Boston, MA
SFO Debut:
Marcello, La bohème, 1967
Past Seasons:
Papa Germont, La traviata, 1968
Herr von Faninal, Der Rosenkavalier, 1968
Monk, Die Jakobsleiter, 1968
Lescaut, Boulevard Solitude, 1967
John West
Tenor
Colline
John West
Hometown: Dayton, OH
SFO Debut:
Count of Monterone, Rigoletto, 1964
Santa Fe Opera Apprentice: 1962
Past Seasons:
Colline, La bohème, 1967
Gold Merchant, Cardillac, 1967
Antonio, The Marriage of Figaro, 1967
First Soldier, Salome, 1967
Angelotti, Tosca, 1966 (August 13 – 25)
Sparafucile, Rigoletto, 1966 (August 6 – 12)
First Apprentice, Wozzeck, 1966
Betto, Gianni Schicchi, 1964
Colline, La bohème, 1964
Schigolch, Lulu, 1964
Antonio, The Marriage of Figaro, 1964
Herald II, Joan of Arc at the Stake, 1962
Marquis d’Obigny, La traviata, 1962
Bonze, Le Rossignol, 1962
Second Soldier/Fifth Jew, Salome, 1962
Angelotti, Tosca, 1962
Adib Fazah
Baritone
Schaunard
Adib Fazah
Hometown: Cleveland, OH
SFO Debut:
Morales, Carmen, 1964
Santa Fe Opera Apprentice: 1960
Past Seasons:
Lilaque fils, Boulevard Solitude, 1967
Captain of the Guard, Cardillac, 1967
Schaunard, La bohème, 1967
Second Nazarene, Salome, 1967
Officer, Dialogues of the Carmélites, 1966
Masetto, Don Giovanni, 1966
Angelotti, Tosca, 1966 (July 2 – 16)
Wozzeck, Wozzeck, 1966
Rigoletto, Rigoletto, 1964 (July 1 – 17)
Schaunard, La bohème, 1964 (August 19 – 28)
L’Horloge, L’enfant et les sortilèges, 1964
Antonio, The Gondoliers, 1960
Baron Duphol, La traviata, 1960
Gimi Beni
Bass-baritone
Benoit/ Alcindoro
Gimi Beni
Hometown: Philadelphia, PA
SFO Debut:
Grand Inquisitor, The Gondoliers, 1960
Past Seasons:
Billy Jackrabbit, La fanciulla del West, 1991
Morbio, Die schweigsame Frau, 1991
Notary, Der Rosenkavalier, 1989
Le Baron, Chérubin, 1989
Frank, Die Fledermaus, 1988
Prince Yamadori, Madame Butterfly, 1987
Morbio, Die schweigsame Frau, 1987
Ivan Yakovlevich, The Nose, 1987
Frank, Die Fledermaus, 1986
Un Licteur, Orpheus in the Underworld, 1985
Stephano, The Tempest, 1985
Bartolo, The Marriage of Figaro, 1970
Trulove, The Rake’s Progress, 1970
Emperor of China, Le Rossignol, 1970
Dr. Turtlespit, Help! Help! The Globolinks, 1970
Prince Yamadori, Madame Butterfly, 1968
Speaker, The Magic Flute, 1968
Dr. Dulcamara, The Elixir of Love, 1968
Benoit/Alcindoro, La bohème, 1967
Bartolo, The Marriage of Figaro, 1967
Bartolo, The Barber of Seville, 1967
Fifth Jew, Salome, 1967
Count of Monterone, Rigoletto, 1966
Sacristan, Tosca, 1966
Trulove, The Rake’s Progress, 1966
Don Magnifico, Cinderella, 1966
Bartolo, The Marriage of Figaro, 1965
Ivan Yakovlevich, The Nose, 1965
Bartolo, The Marriage of Figaro, 1964
Benoit, La bohème, 1964
Simone, Gianni Schicci, 1964
Dr. Goll, Lulu, 1964
Sacristan, Tosca, 1960
Trulove, The Rake’s Progress, 1960
Creon, Oedipus Rex, 1960
Simone, Gianni Schicci, 1960
Michael Chang
Tenor
Parpignol
Michael Chang
Hometown: San Francisco, CA
Santa Fe Opera Apprentice: 1964, 1967
Past Seasons:
Parpignol, La bohème, 1967
Pere-Noel, La bohème, 1964
Robert Seeley
Baritone
Customs Officer
Robert Seeley
Hometown: Dallas, TX
Santa Fe Opera Apprentice: 1967
Past Seasons:
Customs Officer, La bohème, 1967
Rodney Godshall
Bass
A Sergeant
Rodney Godshall
Hometown: Souderton, PA
Santa Fe Opera Apprentice: 1964, 1966, 1967
Past Seasons:
Sergeant, La bohème, 1967
Cappadocian, Salome, 1967
Guccio, Gianni Schicchi, 1964
Un Arbre, L’enfant et les sortilèges, 1964
John Crosby
Conductor
John Crosby
Hometown: New York, NY
SFO Debut:
Madame Butterfly, 1957
Past Seasons:
La traviata, 2002
The Egyptian Helen, 2001
Elektra, 2000
Countess Maritza, 1999
Ariadne auf Naxos, 1999
Madame Butterfly, 1998
Salome, 1998
La traviata, 1997
Arabella, 1997
Madame Butterfly, 1996
Daphne, 1996
Countess Maritza, 1995
Salome, 1995
Tosca, 1994 (July 1 – 15)
Intermezzo, 1994
La bohème, 1993 (July 2 – 16)
Capriccio, 1993
Die Fledermaus, 1992
Der Rosenkavalier, 1992
La traviata, 1991 (June 28 – July 6)
Die schweigsame Frau, 1991
La bohème, 1990
Ariadne auf Naxos, 1990
La traviata, 1989 (June 30 – July 12)
Der Rosenkavalier, 1989
Die Fledermaus, 1988
Feuersnot, 1988
Friedenstag, 1988
Madame Butterfly, 1987
Die schweigsame Frau, 1987
Die Fledermaus, 1986
The Egyptian Helen, 1986
Orpheus in the Underworld, 1985
Die Liebe der Danae, 1985
A Florentine Tragedy, 1984
Violanta, 1984
Intermezzo, 1984
Orpheus in the Underworld, 1983
Arabella, 1983
Die Fledermaus, 1982
Die Liebe der Danae, 1982
La bohème, 1981
Daphne, 1981
La traviata, 1980
Elektra, 1980
The Grand Duchesse of Gerolstein, 1979
Lucia di Lammermoor, 1979
Salome, 1979
Tosca, 1978
Salome, 1978
The Italian Straw Hat, 1977
Fedora, 1977
La traviata, 1976
Salome, 1976
Carmen, 1975
La bohème, 1974
The Grand Duchesse of Gerolstein, 1974
La bohème, 1973
The Merry Widow, 1973
The Grand Duchesse of Gerolstein, 1972
Madame Butterfly, 1972
Salome, 1972
Don Carlo, 1971
The Grand Duchesse of Gerolstein, 1971
La traviata, 1970
Anna Bolena, 1970
Tosca, 1969
Salome, 1969
Madame Butterfly, 1968
La traviata, 1968
Der Rosenkavalier, 1968
Carmen, 1967
La bohème, 1967
Tosca, 1966
Capriccio, 1966
Rigoletto, 1966
La traviata, 1965
Madame Butterfly, 1965
Arabella, 1965
Rigoletto, 1964
Daphne, 1964
La bohème, 1964 (August 22 & 28)
Die Fledermaus, 1963
Madame Butterfly, 1963
Der Rosenkavalier, 1963
Salome, 1962
Oedipus Rex, 1962 (and Director)
Perséphone, 1962
Tosca, 1962
Der Rosenkavalier, 1961
La bohème, 1961
The Gondoliers, 1960
Tosca, 1960
Die Fledermaus, 1959
Madame Butterfly, 1959
La bohème, 1958
Wuthering Heights, 1958
Capriccio, 1958
Vera Zorina
Director and Actress
Vera Zorina
Hometown: Berlin, Germany
SFO Debut:
Perséphone, Perséphone, 1961
Past Seasons:
Director, Madame Butterfly, 1968
Perséphone, Perséphone, 1968
Director, La bohème, 1967
Director, Capriccio, 1966
Director, Dialogues of the Carmelites, 1966
Director and Choreographer, Daphne, 1964
Prince Orlovsky, Die Fledermaus, 1963
Joan of Arc, Joan of Arc at the Stake, 1963
Perséphone, Perséphone, 1962
Joan of Arc, Joan of Arc at the Stake, 1962
Joan Larkey
Lighting Designer
Scenic Designer
Joan Larkey
Hometown: Carmel Valley, CA
SFO Debut:
Tosca, 1966
Past Seasons:
La bohème, 1967 (Scenic & Lighting Designer)
The Barber of Seville, 1967 (Scenic & Lighting Designer)
Wozzeck, 1966
Cinderella, 1966
Rigoletto, 1966
Capriccio, 1966
Don Giovanni, 1966
The Rake’s Progress,1966
Dialogues of the Carmélites, 1966
Jack Edwards
Costume Designer
Jack Edwards
Hometown: Easton, PA
SFO Debut:
Madame Butterfly, 1965 (Costume Supervision)
Past Seasons:
Boulevard Solitude, 1967
La bohème, 1967
Capriccio, 1966
Dialogues of the Carmélites, 1966
Tosca, 1966
Arabella, 1965
Lucia di Lammermoor, 1965 (Costume Supervision)
Martin Smith
Chorus Master
Martin Smith
SFO Debut:
Carmen, 1967
Past Seasons:
Perséphone, 1968
Die Jakobsleiter, 1968
The Bassarids, 1968
Der Rosenkavalier, 1968
The Elixir of Love, 1968
La traviata, 1968
The Magic Flute, 1968
Madame Butterfly, 1968
The Marriage of Figaro, 1967
Boulevard Solitude, 1967
Cardillac, 1967
The Barber of Seville, 1967
La bohème, 1967
La bohème 1967
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