The most frequently performed opera in the Metropolitan's history, the tale of La Bohème, which portrays the life of hedonistic young artists with all its joys and tragedies, is presented here in this 2014 performance with an excitingly young cast in a classic production by Franco Zeffirelli and with the outstanding Italian conductor Stefano Ranzani at the podium. The part of the fiery and passionate Rodolfo is played by a singer who has pursued this career since he was a small child. Vittorio Grigolo joined the Sistine Chapel Choir at the age of nine, before performing at the age of 13 in a production of Tosca alongside Pavarotti, earning the nickname Il Pavarottino ('little Pavarotti”). It was a mantle he would quickly outgrow, and at the age of 23 he made his first appearance at La Scala in Milan, the youngest debutant in the prestigious opera house's history.
The part of the delicate, mortally sick girl Mimì is played by Kristine Opolais who stepped in at the last minute. The Latvian soprano sings at the world's leading opera houses and has a penchant for Puccini. Although her aria recital in April has been cancelled due to the pandemic, her voice and acting may serve as compensation for the audience of the Müpa Drive-in Cinema. Singing the other female role in the production, the lascivious but noble-minded Musetta, is the American Susanna Phillips. Having won her ticket to the world's major opera stages through her successes at the Operalia competition hallmarked by Plácido Domingo, this is not Phillips's first important role at the Metropolitan. In the role of Marcello, Massimo Cavalletti was born in the same town as Puccini, although this is naturally not why he became such a sought-after singer. He has already also performed as Schaunard in the Met production, while he gave a stupendous performance as the Bohemian painter at the Salzburg Festival in 2012 alongside the pair of Anna Netrebko and Jonas Kaufmann.
This recording is the repeat of The Met: Live in HD at Müpa Budapest series on 5 April 2014.

Presented by: Müpa Budapest