Opera

December 9, 2026, 7:00 PM
State Opera Varna / Main Stage

"La Bohème"
Libretto: Luigi Illica, Giuseppe Giacosa
Conductor: Jacopo Sipari di Pescasseroli
Production Design: Kuzman Popov
Director: Srebrina Sokolova
Set and Costume Designer: Maria Dimanova
Featuring: Reinaldo Droz, Zhana Kostova, Svilen Nikolov, Plamen Dimitrov, Evgeniy Stanimirov, Ilina Mihaylova, Geo Chobanov, Mykola Kovalik, Petar Genov, Ilko Zahariev, and Tiana Georgieva
Orchestra, Chorus, and Ballet of State Opera Varna
With the participation of the Varna Children’s and Youth Opera (VDYO)
Duration: 2 hours and 5 minutes
4 acts – 1 intermission

Immediately after completing "Manon Lescaut," Puccini began working on his next opera—"La Bohème." The subject matter resonated with him personally, as it brought to mind his own student years and the time he spent living with Massenet. The libretto was written by Giuseppe Giacosa and Luigi Illica, based on the novel "Scenes of Bohemian Life" (*Scènes de la vie de bohème*) by the French writer Henri Murger. Work on the libretto spanned more than two years, with Puccini frequently expressing dissatisfaction with the drafts. The actual composition of the opera took him only eight months. Puccini created a magnificent lyrical work—considered one of his most perfect operas—which continues to be performed with great success on stages around the world to this day. The premiere of *La bohème* took place at the Teatro Regio in Turin on February 1, 1896. It was here that Puccini first met the 28-year-old Arturo Toscanini, who conducted the opera; the friendship that blossomed between them lasted for the rest of their lives. Unfortunately, the premiere was not a success, and subsequent performances at La Scala in Milan and the Rome Opera were also poorly received by the public. Music critics, too, expressed negative opinions.
The work was only well-received when it was presented in Palermo. The Parisian press welcomed it warmly, noting that Puccini—who had never actually visited Paris—had depicted life in the Latin Quarter with remarkable realism. In 1946, fifty years after the premiere, Toscanini conducted a radio performance with the NBC Symphony Orchestra. This remains the only recording of a Puccini opera featuring the conductor who led its premiere.
*La bohème* gained immense global popularity in the early 20th century; in 1903 alone, the Opéra-Comique in Paris staged it 100 times. This opera also served as the launching point for the careers of many great opera singers.

Tickets at the box office: Theatre and Music Production Centre – Varna, 1 Nezavisimost Sq. Monday – Friday: 09:30 – 13:30 and 14:30 – 20:00; Saturday: 10:00 – 13:30 and 14:30 – 19:00; Sunday: 11:00 – 16:00. Phone: +359 52 665 022; for reservations, phone: +359 52 665 020
Tickets online: Eventim