‘La Bohème’ sets the stage

IU Opera Theater’s new production of “La Bohème,” directed by Tito Capobianco, will open at 8 p.m. Friday at the Musical Arts Center to much anticipation. \nRumors about the production have been floating around the music school and the community for some time now, creating quite a stir – specifically stories of the extraordinary new sets and costumes designed by IU Jacobs School of Music Master Designer C. David Higgins. The set, which took nine months to construct, has three intricate rotating stages, smoking chimneys, individually lit windows, a bridge and a scale model of the Parisian Orleans gate. According to the IU Jacobs School of Music publicity office, the only other U.S. stage that could accommodate a set of this scale is that of the Metropolitan Opera in New York City. \n“You have never seen sets like this before in your life, and you never will again,” said conductor David Effron. “Go see the opera.” \nComposed by Giacomo Puccini, “La Bohème” is based on the novel “Scènes de la Vie de Bohème,” by Henri Murger. It tells the story of a group of young Parisians who seek artistic expression despite financial difficulties, finding love and loss in the process. The opera was originally set in the 1830s but has been transported through time in this production into the 1890s to make use of electric lights as part of the set decoration and to maximize the visual impact of the stage, Capobianco said. \nBloomington audiences are in a unique situation, as they have the opportunity to see two versions of the story performed in one week. On Tuesday and Wednesday, the Broadway production of “Rent” will show at the IU Auditorium. \n“Rent” is based on “La Bohème,” right down to the names of the characters, the plot and even the lyrics. Though “Rent” is set in New York City in the early 1990s instead of Paris in the 1830s, Murger’s Bohemian characters and their attempt to experience life on their terms haven’t changed. \n“Actually, it’s a serendipity, and one we hope audiences will seize,” said IU Auditorium Director Doug Booher. “During the same week, having the opportunity to witness the Broadway touring company of “Rent” live on stage at the Auditorium, and to experience the richness of “La Bohème,” performed by the Jacobs School of Music’s finest musicians, is truly rare.” \nThe youthful energy is apparent in IU’s production of \n“La Bohème.” \n“To hear these young people singing ‘La Bohème,’ you have a natural element that allows the impulsive, free-thinking, in some ways very innocent outlook of the characters to come through authentically,” Capobianco said, describing the two rotating casts of the production. \nAnd always, there is an element of growth and learning. \n“In professional ensembles, ‘La Bohème’ is a standard, and all a conductor has to do is maybe shape and polish a few things,” Effron said. “A collegiate production is very different. You actually have to teach the orchestra how to play opera; the singers need to be schooled in how to follow and interpret the conductor. If everything comes together, it’s very exciting and rewarding.”\nLa Bohème will play at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 16 and17. The opera will be in Italian, with English supertitles. Pre-show Opera Insights will be at 7 p.m. in the Musical Arts Center Mezzanine. Tickets can be purchased through the Musical Arts Center Box Office or through Ticketmaster. For more information, visit www.music.indiana.edu/opera.