Giacomo Puccini - La Bohème / Francesca Zambello · Tiziano Severini - M. Freni · L. Pavarotti · San Francisco Opera

Puccini's bittersweet opera of high-spirited bohemians and the doomed love between Rodolfo, the idealistic poet and Mimi, the consumptive flower-maker, is a beautifully balanced series of tableaux depicting the infectious joie de vivre of youth and the tragic waste of disease and separation. The legendary and incomparable partnership of Mirella Freni and Luciano Pavarotti as the two lovers has been captured in this special live recording from stage of the San Francisco Opera. Brian Large has adapted Francesca Zambello's production for the video, further illuminating the fascinating interaction of Puccini's deeply human characters. Gino Quilico sings Marcello, the colorful and moody painter, whose tempestuous relationship with the flirtatious Musetta (sung by Sandra Pacetti), comically mirrors the more profound love of Rodolfo and Mimi. Nicolai Ghiaurov sings Colline. Luciano Pavarotti and Mirella Freni turned in incandescent performances as Puccini's young lovers.--San Francisco Times