Essay #1 La Boheme 
Complete all of the questions and required information; furthermore, return the Essay#1 
answers, through the class email labeled “Essay #1 La Boheme” 
Bring a copy of the essay to be used as “class discussion”
Give a written comment, in your own words, for each of the following ten questions.
Please do not make your comments brief! Number your answers as per the questions!
Use the proper music terminology to describe your responses and quote all sources in 
the MLA style. (150 points)
1) Give a written synopsis of the opera “La Boheme”. Include the composer, a brief 
storyline, the location and time period of this opera. Also include a list of the main 
characters in this “verismo“ opera.
*Read a synopsis of the opera “La Boheme” at the following:
http://www.metopera.org/Discover/Synopses/
*See research on “la boheme” at an online site like:
(Metropolitan Opera) 
www.metoperafamily.org
2) Comment on the performances around your “Birth” date/year in the Metropolitan 
Opera’s history!
*See the Timeline:
http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/frame.htm
Do a “Key Word Search”. “Search”: “Opera Performances” around your birthdate, 
Month/Day/Year. If no results are showing, broaden the dates by a week before and 
after or more. Also see the next years performances around your birthday.
Give information that you find at these web-pages. 
Use this link: 
https://www.metopera.org/Discover/Archives/
3) What does “verismo” refer to in opera?
4) What is a Bohemian, with reference to this opera’s characters?
5) Who would you consider a ”Bohemian” to be in recent history and alive today?

6) Read and comment about the locations Sorbonne and Luxembourg Gardens. How 
are they related to “La Boheme” and Bohemianism?
7) How are these locations important to a contemporary lifestyle?
8) What was the author Henry Murger’s relationship to the story of “La Boheme”?
Check the History of Bohemianism and Counter-Culture items, as well as, the writer 
Henry Murger.
*Visit the following sites to help you answer the above items in questions 4, 5, 6, 7 and 
8: 
http://www.mtholyoke.edu/courses/rschwart/hist255/bohem/index.html
9) How is the contemporary rock musical “Rent” by Jonathan Larson related to La 
Boheme?
10) Watch the Video Clips of La Boheme, “O soave fanciulla”, on youtube.com.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WRGRxtVdvWI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzPW8mXX3bg
After viewing these videos, write a comparison of these different singers, their 
techniques and interpretations.
Include a written comment on the “interaction between the musical accompaniment with 
the orchestra and the Opera singers in telling the story”, in each of the two videos. 
Also see above links (Met Opera #1a)