La Boheme

I listened to the whole opera "La Boheme" yesterday.

It's not extremely long, just two CDs, but still it's something sustained and of course it can be tough to sit there that long for one thing. I listened to it in two parts, with a lunch break in the middle.

I already had one copy of this on CD. I might have an LP set somewhere too but I haven't seen it for ages. My previous CD version, I got in the late '80s. It's infamous in my mind for one unfortunate fact, that several of the libretto pages are blank! They never saw a printing press. That's real helpful!

I was at a thrift shop and saw another version a few days ago and got it. So I sat and listened to it yesterday.

It's an enjoyable work. I seemed to get more out of it yesterday than I did in the '80s. Or in the limited listens to it I've had since then. I was very into it yesterday, going along with the book since I don't know Italian. But there's places where it's very easy to lose your place and about impossible to keep up with the text. Like when everyone in the cafe/club scene and singing all at once.

I was tracking along with Rodolfo and Mimi pretty well and their bittersweet love. It's very touching how Musetta gets involved and turns out to be such a good person. And the others. I had a few tears in my eyes then when Mimi died. That's a painful moment but powerful.