Opera San Luis Obispo (OperaSLO) presents one of the most beloved of all operas: La Bohème, at the Performing Arts Center in San Luis Obispo on October 15th at 7pm, and October 16th at 2pm, 2016.
Having just celebrated its 30th anniversary, OperaSLO is excited to resurrect 1830s Paris, in this timeless classic Grand Opera production. With a cast of close to 200 artists, this production of La Bohème is a Countywide Arts Collaboration featuring California Opera Association, Central Coast Children’s Choir, Civic Ballet San Luis Obispo, Deyo Dances, and Studio @-Ryans’ American Dance. The production is stage directed by Heather Matthews, choreographed by Andrew Silvaggio, and conducted by OperaSLO’s Artistic Director, Brian Asher Alhadeff. Opera San Luis Obispo is one of only four Grand Opera producing companies in the State of California proudly presenting La Bohème with a full 60-person orchestra, large mixed choruses, ballets, soaring arias, colorful costumes, props, magnificent new two-story sets, and an award winning nationally acclaimed cast of opera singers.
La Bohème is an opera in four acts by Italian composer Giacomo Puccini with a libretto by Giuseppe Giacosa and Luigi Illica. The story is based on the book “Scenes of Bohemian Life” by French writer Henri Murger. Presented in Italian with English supertitles, the plot unfolds during a magical time in Paris, France when the renaissance of art, culture and theatre converged. Meet six young artists struggling to make a living on friendship, laughter and love. From the six main characters emerge Rodolfo, Mimi, Marcello and Musetta – young lovers fighting a tragic battle against fate.
Globally, La Bohème is one of the most frequently performed operas of all time, and has been significantly featured in pop culture as the moment of true love in the 1987 Hollywood blockbuster Moonstruck, in addition to being the inspiration for the musical Rent and the film Moulin Rouge. Illustrating the artist’s struggle, La Bohème is the ultimate theatrical experience – tragic, beautiful and unforgettable. Whether you are experiencing La Bohème for the first time or it’s a cherished favorite, you are certain to fall a little in love yourself.
For tickets please call 805-756-4849 or visit: www.pacslo.org. For more information on OperaSLO visit www.operaslo.org.
Opera San Luis Obispo (OperaSLO), formerly known as Pacific Repertory Opera (PRO), is the only professional opera company in San Luis Obispo County. Founded by Dr. Jill Anderson and the late Jean Cook, Opera San Luis Obispo presented its first-ever performance on June 4, 1985 at a “brown-bag” concert at Linnaea’s Coffee House in downtown San Luis Obispo. Over the next two decades, Opera San Luis Obispo grew from those simple scenes to fully staged professional productions, utilizing rising singers from SLO County and all over the country, plus local performers for orchestra and chorus. Since 1985, Opera San Luis Obispo has been San Luis Obispo County’s “voice of the opera.”