La Boheme

[diabla007]

Posted: 8/26/05 at 9:26pm

I would like to know how you would be able to aquire the ability to perform a Broadway show "off-Broadway". I know you have to buy rights, however, I am not sure how you do that.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 8/26/05 at 10:43pm

La Bohème is in public domain, isn't it?

[phantom_tenor]

Posted: 8/27/05 at 7:19am

Yes, Boheme is public domain most certainly.

http://www.dlib.indiana.edu/variations/scores/bhq3853/large/index.html

Link to the full vocal score, with english and italian.

[diabla007]

Posted: 8/28/05 at 4:41pm

ok do you think our HS could perform it then. Not neccessarily asking because of the play but talent wise. We have some great people and I know it would be a challenge however I believe thats what I think my school needs.

[apdarcey]

Posted: 8/28/05 at 4:50pm

la boheme is one of the greatest operas ever written. for a high school to do it? you better have some amazing vocalists who have great training... it's not a broadway show, it was an opera that happened to be performed at a broadway house. you might want to pick up a recording and follow along with the vocal score (available at public libraries...) and then maybe you'll have a better idea. but i would almost always say no. lord knows my high school would never have been able to do it.

[diabla007]

Posted: 8/28/05 at 5:13pm

Yes well we have some wonderful vocalists and also a wonderful choral director to help us. I belive if we work extremely hard we might be able to do it. For some example of the talent: One of our actors, Andrew, could sing Phantom of the Opera rather well in middle school.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 8/29/05 at 12:59am

*snort*

Phantom of the Opera =/= opera.

[wickedkiwi]

Posted: 8/29/05 at 1:52am

i'd say no, unless your HS regularly showcases operas and operettas. an opera is a whooole other ball game, and even the most talented musical theater stars have trouble shifting genres. plus, even if you have enough talented, vocally trained individuals to do the main roles, you also probably need an equally trained and equally talented chorus. at least that's the case with most operas.

plus, the whole thing is in italian. unless you live in italy...well you get my drift.

finally, same as with rent, you USUALLY need people who have some sort of experience that'll make them convincing in the show. meaning, you have to have felt a LOT of pain to be roger. in operas, these emotions are triple what they are in musical theater, they are a lot more exagerated and a lot harder to produce realistically. high school students rarely have the life experiences (lost lovers to deadly diseases, have been cheated on for money, or have fallen in love for that matter) to reproduce these emotions.

in the same way, even if that guy had the capacity to sing phantom back in MS because he had the range and the training, the age range and his interpretation skills are not developed enough to do the role. if you cant do the role, you cant convincingly sing the song. period.

[phantom_tenor]

Posted: 8/29/05 at 10:07am

The highest note phantom sings is A Flat. Rudolfo sings a HIGH C. Seriously dude, no. Many professional opera singers have trouble with Rudolfo and Mimi, and you'll need DAMN fine supporting cast and chorus. Plus your orchestra will need to be tighter than the BeeGees' pants.

If you want to do something vaguely operatic and serious, go for Yeoman of the Guard, brilliant show, substantially easier to sing then Boheme and in English.
Kismet is a wonderful musical and contains music of an almost operatic quality, but again, much easier than full blown opera.

This is probably the craziest idea for a High School show i have heard to date. I admire your ambition, but it's quite simply impossible for 15/16 year olds to get away with top Cs, etc. And i can guaruntee the italian would be TOTALLY off throughout most of it, especially in the chorus. Think Josh Groban.

[Forester]

Posted: 8/29/05 at 10:47am

Just say no. High school should not be doing an opera production. You may, I repeat, may have one or two good singers, but I can tell you that you will not have the chorus to pull it off.

So, listen to Nancy Reagan, JUST SAY NO.

Edit to add: If you do decide to do it, you better have a very versatile soprano. Your Mimi better be able to hit the c3. Updated On: 8/29/05 at 10:47 AM