In other ways, he is naïve and limited in his ability to feel. He is living a life of deception and will soon face its reality, the meaning of love, the ability to love, being forced to face his own fears and endure existing in a world as a man who will learn firsthand, the monumental knowledge of living as a conscious adult. A poet. A dreamer. In some ways he is wise beyond his years and capable of intense emotion. In the center of this intimate story is the character Rodolfo. He is a young man. La Bohème is a story as honest as can be told. No one can forget the first time they experience this romantic opera because the story is about love and loss and universal themes identifiable by everyone in all walks of life. It reveals a moment in time which we have all experienced or will soon learn about all too well. Everyone who witnesses a performance of La Bohème walks away humming the memorable Puccini phrases and carries the tragic pain and abundant joy of the characters’ journey forever in their hearts.

La Bohème is unquestionably one of the three most beloved operas ever written. Its beauty lies in the soaring melodies and emotionally stirring orchestration, which evokes feelings seldom felt in one evening of theater. However, the heart of this opera lies in the characters portrayed. They each possess an unusually real, true-to-life recognition.

La boheme opera characters