Technical Details: Interactive Menu in 2 Languages Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1.+ Digital Stereo Region Code: 0 Picture Format: 4:3 Specials: Puccini Documentary (35 min) English Subtitles   Running Time: ca.112 min.     Order No: 60056 Giacomo Puccini La Bohème Soloists: Hei-Kyung Hong, Neil Wilson, Gaetan Laperriere a.o. Orchestra: The Canadian Opera Company Conductor: Bruno Rigacci Set in the Latin Quarter of Paris in the 1830s, Puccini’s “La Boheme” is one of the most popular operas of all time. It is based on Henri Murger's 'Scènes de la Vie de Boheme', the libretto was written by Giuseppe Giacosa and Luigi Illica. “La Boheme” was first performed in Turin at the Teatro Regio in February 1896. At first it was less successful than its predecessor “Manon Lescaut”, perhaps because its subject was too realistic, its tone in many places too light-hearted and somewhat sentimental, and was thus compared unfavourably by the critics to the Romantic-tragic character of Manon. However, it came to be recognized as the masterpiece history now judges it to be… The opera presents an impressionist picture of a community common to every clime. Its members have subscribed to the Epicurean principle: "Let us eat and drink to-day, for tomorrow we die." In a word, they live in and for the present. The librettists have drawn their material from Murger’s novel, selecting four characteristic scenes and reproducing the spirit rather than the letter of the original. This award-winning production of the Canadian Opera Company is designed by Austrian Wolfram Skalicki and features Hei-Kyung Hong of the Metropolitan Opera as Mimi. Appearing with her are Neil Wilson as Rodolfo, Gaetan Laperriere as Marcello and Katherine Terrell as Musetta. The opera is subtitled in English and as special feature the DVD contains a 35 minute feature film documentary on life and times of Giacomo Puccini.