Baltimore Opera Company

Study Guide

La Bohème
The Bohemians

Perspectives on an Aria: "Donde lieta"

On of the most extraordinary things about grand opera is its spectrum of proportions. Conceivably the largest of musical forms, it can, within the space of a few minutes, even seconds, go from Gargantuan to Lilliputian. At once one is overwhelmed by the capaciousness of huge sound, emotion, and presence, and then one is brought to look into a microscope – wherein is contained the smallest element of emotion and sensation.

One of these moments is in Act III of La Bohème . In a hugely emotional scene Mimi seeks out her friend Marcello for help and guidance, then, concealing herself, she hears Marcello and Rodolfo speaking about her, predicting her early death. Overcome by the first true realization of her mortality, she breaks into uncontrollable sobs, revealing herself both in body and spirit. Breaking into this heart-hurt is a brief scene between Marcello and Musetta, in which again their youthful insouciance and immaturity comes between then. And then, out of this largeness of emotion and sound, comes one of the most gorgeous “miniatures” in opera– Mimi's farewell to her beloved Rodolfo. Velvety strings, in a halo of sound, play Mimi's theme music, first heard in the philosophical exposition that is her first aria “Si, mi chiamano Mimi.” Very simply and quietly (beginning with an intonation on a single note) she says that she will return to her home, where she first heard the call of his love– the “arch” of the music phrase reaching its apex on the word “love.” Then, the theme of her sickness appears agitando , and she says that she will return to her lonely nest to do what she does, make fake flowers, and then, as if in internal remembrance of the past, the flute plays the music from Act I when she was flirtatiously trying to get to know him– how painful that remembrance must be to her now. But before she can descend into self pity, she says, again simply and quietly– “Addio, senza rancor”– “Goodbye, but without bitterness.” She turns to leave, but then has more to say, remembering the disposition of her belongings, and asks him to collect them for her. Again, in internal, unspoken remembrance, the flutes play a snippet of much from the scene in Café Momus, where she first met the Bohemians. She mentions her little bracelet and her prayer book, where the music from Act I returns, the music where she mentioned that she doesn't go to church much, but prays frequently. In a beautiful phrase in the expressive middle register of her voice, Mimi tells Rodolfo to bundle her things and she will send someone to get them. In this bittersweet moment, essentially saying that this is their last time to see each other's face, a halo of strings again appears, with the theme she sang in her first aria, and which, again appearing in a halo of strings, will signify her death at the end. During this she begins to leave. And then, one of the most magical moments in opera! Turning around, with an uplifting key change to A major (and forever branded in my mind by Licia Albanese and Arturo Toscanini in their classic vintage recording) she turns around, for she has forgotten the most important thing– her pink bonnet, which Rodolfo bought for her that glorious Christmas Eve when their love was born. In yet another uplifting key change (to warm D-flat) she offers the bonnet to him to keep as a remembrance of their love. With a full, comforting orchestra supporting her, the soprano wafts up to her highest note in the aria, a B-flat, on the word “ricordo”– “remembrance” and then, in the space of but two measures, everything comes down to the smallest proportions as she murmurs, simply, quietly, and finally– “Goodbye, but without bitterness.”

This aria is the quintessence of “verismo”– for it is pure truth, truth both illuminating and achingly poignant. Within the framework of the largest musical art form the genius Puccini has everlastingly, in miniature proportion, distilled one the most profound of human experiences– the truth and pain of parting of hearts.

James Harp

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