La bohème and the ABCs of Opera
This past summer, the other Opera Teens and I listened in on a lecture about Carmen, our previous opera of the month. At one point during his speech, the speaker mentioned and explained the “ABCs of Opera”, a term that, prior to that instance, I had never heard before. He went on to explain that it is a mnemonic for three of opera’s most famous (and, therefore most essential) works; A—Aida, B—La bohème, and C—Carmen. It got me thinking: does the mnemonic continue all the way to the letter Z? (I mean, Die Zauberflöte would surely take that place.) But, more importantly, I wondered what makes these operas so notable.
I have yet to find any real evidence that the ABCs continue beyond Carmen. However, I have been able to find information concerning the second matter. As it turns out, I am not the first to try to explain why the ABCs of Opera are what they are. Numerous people— interested bloggers, journalists, etc. — have sought the answer through singers, producers, and directors. La boheme’s notoriety is often attributed to Giacomo Puccini’s ability to utilize awesome music to portray different facets of life. “[He] once said that his success came from putting ‘great sorrows in little souls’….Boheme is a drama of everyday events and common people. The characters are familiar, maybe even routine. 1”Although the work has been scrutinized by critics since its first showing for being too simplistic, the fact that the ordinary person can relate to the characters contributes to the opera’s popularity. Many people can relate to the money issues the group in the Latin Quarter faces, as well the recurring break- ups and feelings of longing. Moreover, most can relate to the feeling of having a loved one snatched away by death. Puccini’s artful weaving of the human condition with a musical setting is what, among other factors, has made this opera a standard. (It is the Metropolitan Opera’s most played work.)
La bohème is popular among opera fans but is loved by vocalists, as well. Young singers and seasoned professionals alike love (and attempt) the many daunting pieces. I, myself, love many arias from this opera, because of the composition of its pieces like “Si, mi chiamano mimi” or “Che gelida manina” which allows those who do not understand Italian completely to instead ‘get’ the feeling each character is expressing. The arias are simple, not overly complicated; they flourish when great emotion or emphasis is needed, and settle back down during superfluous speech. It is the emotion aroused that is remembered, not the text. Pieces—even La bohème’s “simple” pieces—are memorable because they achieve the balance between emotion and technicalities as well as tell the story of ordinary people.
1. Scott, Bruce. “Simple Feelings, Powerful Drama: Puccini’s ‘La Boheme’. NPR. Npr.org. 01 October 2010. 22 October 2015.