Gianni Truvianni's "New York's Opera Society" Chapter 28
Gianni Truvianni's "New York's Opera Society" Chapter 28
Act two of "La Boheme" is one that I always enjoyed though not as much as Amanda, who thoroughly loved singing Mussetta's aria, which perhaps helped her live out her hidden fantasies of being a playful unabashed coquette; whose voice shrieked in bars. It grabbing at the ears, erotic feelings and maybe even nerves of all those who were in singing distance. Mussetta's aria being one in which she praises her own beauty, giving mention to how passers by only want to admire her from head to toe when she comes in to view; was perfect for Amanda who loved showing off her voice like a song bird in the same way Mussetta did.
Mussetta's does it however only to get the attention of Marcelo, the man she wants to conquer back and not because her feminine ego needed feeding. In this very aria Mussetta also tells about how Marcelo's pride won't let him take her back though his want is no less than hers and while Mussetta declares her love for Marcelo, it is Rodolfo and his friends who tell how they know that sooner or later Marcelo will give into Mussetta's desire; as he had always done.
This was not really an opera for Barbara; in the meaning that there were no roles for mezzo-sopranos, so she watched it just for the pleasure, however for Amanda and myself this was a way to see how we might be singing the lead roles someday. Of course for Amanda, this particular performance was of more importance as it was her father who was performing on stage.
End of act two brings about a very short intermission which is there so the stage can be transformed from that of a bar to a scene at the walls of Paris. As was the case with most intermissions my group took it as an opportunity to go to the toilet.
It was at this point as Gosia, Barbara and Amanda escorted each other to the lady's room that Amanda chose to tell, an almost astonished Gosia that the man they had been seeing as well as hearing next to Jose Carreras as Marcello; the painter was in fact her father. I for obvious reasons could not be present in the lady's room. This being the place where Amanda told Gosia, most likely while standing next to each other over two sinks; looking at themselves in the mirror while in the act of powdering their noses. The news that I had agreed to let Amanda reveal to her first. It is this factor that tells why I can not say what her reaction was but I could imagine that it was one that was in line with the impressionable person I knew her to be.
Given the short length of the 2nd intermission, I did not have a chance to comment with Gosia about Marcello, so we just took our seats without talking to see the 3rd act. Act 3 in which both couples Rodolfo and Mimi (whose real name is Lucia but everybody calls Mimi; for some reason even unknown to Mimi herself) and Marcello and Musetta break up for different reasons. This act contains scenes that to the mind of the true opera connoisseur are the essence of tragedy in opera, that arouse from those whose sensitivity is apt to detecting feelings of real lament that make them desire to see something which they know will not be. This scene is where Puccini really out does himself by combining music that could not have been more ideal for the melodramatics we are made to witness in the lives of these four individuals.
Act 3 places our four main characters at the walls of Paris, where Marcello after having been told by Mimi of how easily Rodolfo flies into fits of uncontrollable jealousy at the slightest jest on her part, confronts his best friend. Everybody has and is entitled to have his or her own opinion but the confrontation of Rodolfo by Marcello concerning the matter of how he has been treating Mimi is to my way of seeing things what makes not only opera but the purest part of humanity; which unfortunately is only witnessed on occasions that are far too rare.
Marcello (Steven Johnson) hears Rodolfo (Jose Carreras) tell him that he wants to end his relationship with Mimi; claiming that he once believed his heart to have been dead to see Mimi bring it back to life but he feels that time has come for them to bid one another adieu. Marcello then claims his friend to be of a jealous nature, to hear Rodolfo agree by saying a little "un poco". Marcelo, however not wanting to leave out other negative features he sees in his friend continues with a list which labels his friend as being ill-tempered, lunatic, full of prejudices, boring and stubborn (tu sei colerico, lunatico, envebuto di prejudicio, enoyoso, concuto). Rodolfo at that point starts to feel that he is being challenged perhaps more by his own conscious which he tries to appease by declaring to Marcello, who smirks in comic disbelieve at Rodolfo's declaration that Mimi is a flirtatious tramp; who goes after any and every man in a way that even Rodolfo himself is finding hard to accredit.
There are lines which in opera like in film, can be called short but significant as they bring out the truth in a situation that otherwise might have been left unclear. Marcelo's next line is quite possibly one of those that create the whole mood of the opera. Amanda's father, Steven Johnson now Marcelo the painter declares "lo devo dire no me sembri cincero"(I must tell you I don't think you're being sincere). This line makes Rodolfo come clean as he confesses that he is not being sincere; that the truth which he belches out in a voice that the music accompanies like weeping is another. He loves Mimi but the poverty that surrounds him in the
form of his squalid cold apartment will not let him provide Mimi with the kind of home and medical care that a man of great means could if he would only release her, so she might be with one. He goes on telling Marcelo (completely unaware that Mimi is within hearing distance of him) that seeing Mimi's illness and her terrible cough getting worse and worse, knowing that she has a chance to be with another whose financial situation could help her; where his can not is the torture that lives within him.
I am of the opinion that this part which I have described is what the opera comes down to as what follows is just the story running a natural course that could have no other tunnel of escape, other than the eventual breaking up of both couples in the same act. Marcelo and Mussetta breaking up over what Marcelo sees as her flirtatious nature, which he can not accept while Rodolfo and Mimi do the same for the reason that Rodolfo's aria has made painfully clear.
The 3rd and final intermission came before the 4th and final act, which Gosia used to ask me why I had not told her that Amanda's father was going to be singing the baritone role of Marcelo; to which I told her that Amanda herself had asked to be the one who got to tell her.
Gosia also told us how glad she was to be going to "Luigi's Ristorante", the one she had heard so much about from not only myself but Barbara; who had given a detailed account of all those times we had bumped into someone from not only the opera set but the Broadway set as well.
The 4th and final act got underway and as it did we again became wrapped up in the bohemian characters, who were back in Rodolfo's apartment having a good time in their typical relaxed way. The 4th act like the 1st one has Mimi entering Rodolfo's apartment; this time however not alone or to introduce herself but aided by Musseta in order that she might expire in the company of the only man she had ever loved or wanted.
From my point of view Puccini uses act 4 as a natural conclusion to what he started in the previous act, when his two couples broke up for different reasons; making the ending be no other than Mimi being overcome by her illness while Rodolfo mourns. However, all is not tragedy for it is these circumstances that make Marcelo finally realize that underneath her apparent vanity and coquetry; Mussetta is capable of sacrifice for others when he sees how she was willing to sell her earrings for Mimi's sake. It is this small gesture and Mimi telling Marcelo how his Mussetta deep down is different than he had thought her to be that bring this loving but often bickering couple back together when Marcello says "Sei bona mia Mussetta."(you are good my Mussetta).
The climax of this act which the whole story was condemned to from the moment Mimi set foot in Rodolfo's apartment comes when Rodolfo holds the lifeless body of Mimi, after his friends have left him alone with the now empty shell that housed the soul that had been the person they had all loved; who had been the seamstress from across the hall.
Gianni Truvianni's "New York's Opera Society" Chapter 29 Gianni Truvianni's "New York's Opera Society" Chapter 30 Gianni Truvianni's "New York's Opera Society" Chapter 31 Gianni Truvianni's "New York's Opera Society" Chapter 32 Gianni Truvianni's "New York's Opera Society" Chapter 33 Gianni Truvianni's "New York's Opera Society" Chapter 34 Gianni Truvianni's "New York's Opera Society" Chapter 35 Gianni Truvianni's "New York's Opera Society" Chapter 36 Gianni Truvianni's "New York's Opera Society" Conclusion A Good Source of Information on Society Finches Can You Become a Millionaire with Millionaire Society? How to Join the Millionaire Society? Millionaire Society - A Detailed Assessment