La Boheme: The Film

From the Editors

Giacomo Puccini's immortal opera in a high budget feature-film version directed by Academy Award nominee Robert Dornhelm, stars opera's 'Golden Couple', Rolando Villazon and Anna Netrebko as the protagonists, Rodolfo and Mimi. The chemistry between them is electric, unrivalled in the theatre today. Russian soprano Anna Netrebko is not only beautiful but has a marvelous voice and technique; Mexican tenor Rolando Villazon, has a wonderful voice and an incredible charisma. The excellent bonus features include fascinating interviews with all the key performers and the director, who confirms that he not only wanted to remain steadfastly faithful to Puccini's design but also document two of the leading singers of the modern age rather than embarking on a 'trendy' contemporary re-creation.
Product Description

Customer Response

Rolando and Anna are perhaps the greatest opera tenor and soprano.
I did not like the film version but the singing of these two opera stars was terrific. Puccini did not complete this work as he was working on his greatest masterpiece, Tosca. The libritist (Illica) changed the sequence between the second and the third act making Mimi a "cheap woman" by including an affair she had with with Muzzeta's lover (The Duque). The change was not based on what inspired Puccini to compose this work: "Scenes of Bohemians" by Henry Murger. Puccini agreed with the change made by Illica as again, he was bussy conposing Tosca. The theatrical element of this opera is flawed, but the music is just heavenly.

region code A only
Most opera and classical are region free.
This one is definitely region A only and does not play in region 2.
Anyone want it?

Still haven't seen it!!

What a performance!!
The performance was outstanding!! Also quite interesting the coments by the Director and also those of Anna and Rolando. Happy to have this in my collection.

Big disappointment!
If you, like me, are enticed by the names of Netrebko and Villazon, listen to their beautiful CD of Puccini's work and avoid at any cost looking at the images of this film. The director, who stated in his interview that he is new to opera, should dismiss the invitation to direct this film. He knows nothing of film opera - and let's face it, I doubt there is a more difficult art form than filming an opera. Just tell me of how many outstanding examples you know that surpass theater productions. This specific production is a sequence of disappointments. Villazon during Act 1 seems to be portraying Nemorino, the funny guy in the village, a character not expected from somenone who describes his life singing "Che gelida manina". The purposeful visit of Mimi to his apartment destroys the innocence we have grown to indentify the sick girl with. And if the fims intends to bring a more realistic approach than we are used to in the theater, who would be kneeling in heavy snow for more than 5 minutes, as Mimi and Marcello do in their exchange in Act III? And why so much snow throughout the act? Why the tacky close-up shot of Musetta and Marcello with Rodolfo and Mimi at the background in the middle? Thank God these kind of things do not happen in the theater. Avoid it. Better yet, listen to the CD and imagine your own staging in your mind. I am sure the satisfaction will be greater.

absolutely superb customer experience
the magnificent Anna performs La Boheme like NO ONE else with the subtle sexual connotation
all too often missing and/or deficient
Believe me! get the full impact of this glorious opera with this rendition

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