La Bohème - an educational and cultural experience
Published: 02:05 PM,May 15,2024 | EDITED : 06:05 PM,May 15,2024
La Bohème - an educational and cultural experience
The world is commemorating the 100th anniversary of Puccini's passing, and for the occasion, Royal Opera House Muscat is welcoming a co-production with Monte Carlo Opera of Puccini’s timeless work, La Bohème directed by Jean-Louis Grinda this week, on May 16th and 18th.
La Bohème is an opera in four acts, composed by Giacomo Puccini between 1893 and 1895 to an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa, based on Scènes de la vie de bohème by Henri Murger. The story is set in Paris around 1830 and shows the Bohemian lifestyle of a poor seamstress and her artist friends.
In the run-up to this opera, the opera house delivered a programme of educational activities around La Bohème opera, allowing a range of students from Muscat University Theatre Club to have unparalleled access to the artists. The students have been enjoying an immersive experience with a set of activities, workshops, meetings with artists, and more.
It all began with the regional premiere of the award-winning movie La Bohème by Italian director Mario Martone on April 23rd. The film was screened at ROHM’s main foyer, transformed for the occasion into a cinema room. Once the lights were switched off the audience was transported to a very special setting in Rome where the opera was recreated in a building used by the Opera di Roma as a warehouse for their set and production materials.
The film won the Grand Prix at the Golden Prague Festival for its innovative approach, blending film and stage performances seamlessly. In a special message to the ROHM audience, Mario Martone, the director, extended a warm invitation to all to discover La Bohème, envisioning its characters not as mere artefacts but as vibrant, living individuals captured through Puccini's extraordinary music. The Opera movie gave a chance to discover this cinematographic masterpiece, revisiting how operas can be filmed uniquely.
Then it was time for Lunch Music at Opera Galleria and a bohemian lunch with the artists from La Bohème opera on May 11th. Although the Lunch Music was opened to the public, the bohemian lunch was a special activity for the students, held at Richoux inside Opera Galleria. Oman Observer was exclusively invited to attend this lunch.
During the Lunch Music, one could hear beautiful vocals while entering the Opera Galleria, and there you could see them—the artists were immersed in their performance with a seated audience spellbound. Some of the artists appeared from the audience itself, creating a dynamic scenography and a spectacular concert. La Bohème's story is one of pure emotion, and the Lunch Music format gave the audience the possibility to watch the artists perform nearby compared to their usual performances on stage.
While having lunch with the opera singers, the students openly discussed the characters and how they were moved by the tragic life of Mimi. The conversations revered around the lives of the main characters of La Bohème, Rodolfo, Mimi, Marcelo, Schaunard, Colline and Musetta, their decisions, and their aspirations. Some of the students told Oman Observer of the chance to immerse themselves into the world of opera, discovering the story of La Bohème and the role of opera singers. How to act on stage, convey emotions with your voice, and transform yourself into a character, were themes discussed during the exchange between artists and students. Some of the students interested in theatre and acting discovered the similarities between an opera story and a film or a theatre play. All were extremely grateful to have had the opportunity to go through this journey of workshops and activities with Royal Opera House Muscat, gaining insights into the world of opera.
As a final part of this educational journey, all students will attend La Bohème on the 16th and 18th of May, filled with exclusive insights and a new perspective on this timeless opera.
According to ROHM, as part of this educational journey, students will be required to write a short essay giving their thoughts and insights into La Bohème. The best essay will be selected by a mixed jury comprised of ROHM management and Oman Observer's editorial team and will be published in Oman Observer.
One of the objectives of ROHM is to strive to inspire its audience with a range of activities which are inclusive, accessible and engaging. Although some of the activities around La Bohème were reserved for the students, most of them such as Lunch Music or Opera Movie were open to the public. With the free-for-all talks and workshops ahead of some of its performances, ROHM invites its audience to dive deeper into the world of a composer, opera, or classical music piece. This is aligned with the opera house's vision as a centre of excellence in global cultural engagement.
A prominent regional institution, ROHM has been aiming to enrich lives through diverse artistic, cultural, and educational programmes. This is how ROHM has been inspiring audiences and nurturing creativity, fostering cultural vitality, unleashing talents, and promoting cultural awareness among local and international audiences.
La Bohème is an opera in four acts, composed by Giacomo Puccini between 1893 and 1895 to an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa, based on Scènes de la vie de bohème by Henri Murger. The story is set in Paris around 1830 and shows the Bohemian lifestyle of a poor seamstress and her artist friends.
In the run-up to this opera, the opera house delivered a programme of educational activities around La Bohème opera, allowing a range of students from Muscat University Theatre Club to have unparalleled access to the artists. The students have been enjoying an immersive experience with a set of activities, workshops, meetings with artists, and more.
It all began with the regional premiere of the award-winning movie La Bohème by Italian director Mario Martone on April 23rd. The film was screened at ROHM’s main foyer, transformed for the occasion into a cinema room. Once the lights were switched off the audience was transported to a very special setting in Rome where the opera was recreated in a building used by the Opera di Roma as a warehouse for their set and production materials.
The film won the Grand Prix at the Golden Prague Festival for its innovative approach, blending film and stage performances seamlessly. In a special message to the ROHM audience, Mario Martone, the director, extended a warm invitation to all to discover La Bohème, envisioning its characters not as mere artefacts but as vibrant, living individuals captured through Puccini's extraordinary music. The Opera movie gave a chance to discover this cinematographic masterpiece, revisiting how operas can be filmed uniquely.
Then it was time for Lunch Music at Opera Galleria and a bohemian lunch with the artists from La Bohème opera on May 11th. Although the Lunch Music was opened to the public, the bohemian lunch was a special activity for the students, held at Richoux inside Opera Galleria. Oman Observer was exclusively invited to attend this lunch.
During the Lunch Music, one could hear beautiful vocals while entering the Opera Galleria, and there you could see them—the artists were immersed in their performance with a seated audience spellbound. Some of the artists appeared from the audience itself, creating a dynamic scenography and a spectacular concert. La Bohème's story is one of pure emotion, and the Lunch Music format gave the audience the possibility to watch the artists perform nearby compared to their usual performances on stage.
While having lunch with the opera singers, the students openly discussed the characters and how they were moved by the tragic life of Mimi. The conversations revered around the lives of the main characters of La Bohème, Rodolfo, Mimi, Marcelo, Schaunard, Colline and Musetta, their decisions, and their aspirations. Some of the students told Oman Observer of the chance to immerse themselves into the world of opera, discovering the story of La Bohème and the role of opera singers. How to act on stage, convey emotions with your voice, and transform yourself into a character, were themes discussed during the exchange between artists and students. Some of the students interested in theatre and acting discovered the similarities between an opera story and a film or a theatre play. All were extremely grateful to have had the opportunity to go through this journey of workshops and activities with Royal Opera House Muscat, gaining insights into the world of opera.
As a final part of this educational journey, all students will attend La Bohème on the 16th and 18th of May, filled with exclusive insights and a new perspective on this timeless opera.
According to ROHM, as part of this educational journey, students will be required to write a short essay giving their thoughts and insights into La Bohème. The best essay will be selected by a mixed jury comprised of ROHM management and Oman Observer's editorial team and will be published in Oman Observer.
One of the objectives of ROHM is to strive to inspire its audience with a range of activities which are inclusive, accessible and engaging. Although some of the activities around La Bohème were reserved for the students, most of them such as Lunch Music or Opera Movie were open to the public. With the free-for-all talks and workshops ahead of some of its performances, ROHM invites its audience to dive deeper into the world of a composer, opera, or classical music piece. This is aligned with the opera house's vision as a centre of excellence in global cultural engagement.
A prominent regional institution, ROHM has been aiming to enrich lives through diverse artistic, cultural, and educational programmes. This is how ROHM has been inspiring audiences and nurturing creativity, fostering cultural vitality, unleashing talents, and promoting cultural awareness among local and international audiences.