AUDIENCE GUIDE November 2-5, 2017 Sponsored by Stanley Kritzik BIENVENUE À LA BOHÈME! W e h o p e t h i s g u i d e e n h a n c e s y o u r j o u r n e y t h r o u g h t h e s t r e e t s o f 1 9 5 0 s P a r i s w i t h t h e w o r l d ' s f a v o r i t e B o h e m i a n s : R o d o l f o , M i m i , M a r c e l l o , M u s e t t a , C o l l i n e , a n d S c h a u n a r d . B e s w e p t a w a y b y t h e g o r g e o u s m u s i c a n d b e a u t i f u l d a n c i n g – i t m i g h t b e a d i f f e r e n t t i m e a n d p l a c e , b u t t h e l i f e o f a D B o h e m i a n w i l l a l w a y s b e f u l l a v i t H o f p a s s i o n a n d p a i n , l i f e a n d o v h d e a t h , l o v e a n d l o s s … a n n i s y a n a L a B o h è m e n d Exclusive inte L b y G i a c o m o P u c c i n i u z S a W o r l d P r e m i e r e , F e b 1 , 1 8 9 6 n M T u r i n , I t a l y i g u e l . P h o t o Manila T o m D a v e n p o r t The 2017-18 Season is presented by Donna and Donald Baumgartner LA BOHÈME, A LA MICHAEL PINK a n h o r F k r a M o t o h P . y n a p m o C t e l l a B e e k u a w l i M Artistic Director Michael Pink turned a few heads when The challenge was adapting Puccini's opera he announced he would present a ballet version of score for dance. The famous arias and duets Puccini's iconic opera, La Bohème. The music and would need to become stirring solos and pas de libretto are so well-known. Will the story still connect with deuxs. While Pink acknowledged many are the audience if you take out the voices? Pink answered accustomed to hearing voices over the score, with a resounding "yes", premiering La Bohème on the he could remove them and retain all of the Milwaukee Ballet stage in 2012. emotions in the performance. In fact, it could be an advantage. La Bohème was the first opera Artistic Director Michael Pink experienced as a young man, and he was instantly The skill, notes Pink, was to arrange the music attracted to the characters and their passion for life and in a way that replaces the vocals without losing the arts, and, of course, to Puccini's intoxicating music. the emotional impact of the voice. It was years later, on a family holiday in Paris, that Pink began to envision La Bohème as a ballet. He called on his music director, Andrews Sill, to create an arrangement for Milwaukee Ballet "It had all the necessary elements for a dance drama – Orchestra that would leave the audience lush music, real life characters and, at its heart, fulfilled. A few of the tempos would also need to a haunting story of love, envy, and loss,” said Pink. be quicker to match the rhythms dancers are accustomed to. The story, he felt, was one the dancers could really consume. He explains, "La Bohème is about young Sill and the Orchestra earned praise for their people, young artists. It just translates so well on our new interpretation of Puccini's score. The dancers who are themselves bohemian in spirit, youthful, Shepherd Express wrote, and carefree." "Sill fashioned a sublime score from Pink also became intrigued by the idea of using a small Puccini's opera, adapting as necessary cast. "Many times with major productions," he said, "the and also expanding it ...the performance scenes are filled with set pieces and corps dancers. of the Milwaukee Ballet Orchestra under Having fewer dancers in the studio allows me to delve into the story of Mimi and Rodolfo, and their friends in Still's baton was sensational." Paris." C O N T I N U E D O N N E X T P A G E Sill also added new music for a scene Pink desired to include in the ballet. Pink noted, "I had always thought there was a part of the story that was not fully explained. Mimi and Rodolfo have fallen madly in love in the first two acts of the opera, but by act three, they are estranged." "Rodolfo talks about Mimi encouraging the attentions of other men, driving him wild with jealousy. I felt that showing this in the ballet adaptation it would clarify the story for the audience," he explained. "Apparently in the original libretto, there was a fifth act that showed Musetta introducing Mimi to a Viscount, explaining to her that she could be in love with Rodolfo but, she needed someone to pay the bills." Davit Hovhannisyan and Luz San Miguel "Puccini chose not to incorporate this into the finished piece, but I thought it was valuable. Andrews Sill and I worked with two pieces of incidental music by Puccini to create this scene in Musetta's apartment." Pink made another strong artistic choice by transporting the story to the 1950s. Moving the action closer to the present, he hoped, would help the audience engage with the characters and their story in a brand new way. The updated era gave costume designer Paul Daigle an exciting new creation palette. He used striking colors to create the costumes for La Bohème. There are about 55 pieces in the show. Half were handmade in our costume shop, and the other half were vintage purchases from local antique stores. In its review, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel noted: "Daigle's costumes are masterpieces of Davit Hovhannisyan and Timothy O'Donnell period and style and inviting color. Particularly effective are the women's skirts, which use drape and flow of fabric to underscore both character and movement." Pink completed his creative team with scenic designer Richard Graham, who created the imaginative set of Peter Pan, and Emmy Award-winning lighting designer David Grill, who has illuminated nearly all of Pink's ballets in Milwaukee. Michael Pink's La Bohème was loved by critics, audiences, and the dancers alike. Pink jumped at the chance to present it again to open our 2017-18 season. "I’m grateful for the opportunity to revisit this beautiful score and delve further into the characters with the Company,” he said. Pink's La Bohème is dedicated to his wife, Jayne. Annia Hidalgo. Photos: Mark Frohna bohemmeet ithaens Rodolfo Mimi Davit Hovhannisyan Patrick Howell Luz San Miguel Nicole Teague-Howell Thurs & Sat Fri & Sun Thurs & Sat Fri & Sun Marcello Musetta Timothy O'Donnell Isaac Sharratt Annia Hidalgo Marize Fumero Thurs & Sat Fri & Sun Thurs & Sat Fri & Sun Schaunard Colline Parker Brasser-Vos Randy Crespo Garrett Glassman Barry Molina Thurs & Sat Fri & Sun Thurs & Sat Fri & Sun Headshots by Timothy O'Donnell Synopsis Act One 1950s Paris. Christmas Eve in the Latin Quarter. Marcello, a painter, and Rodolfo, a poet, keep warm by burning pages from Rodolfo’s latest novel. They are joined by comrades Colline, a philosopher, and Schaunard, a musician. Schaunard has recently landed a job and brings food, fuel, and money for all to enjoy. While they celebrate, Benoit, the landlord, arrives to collect rent. They ply him with wine before embarrassing him and throwing him out. The friends prepare to depart for Café Momus, but Rodolfo must first finish writing an article. A knock at the door reveals Mimi, a neighbor, asking for a light for her candle. She becomes faint so he offers her wine. Mimi realizes she has dropped her key, and together, they search for it. Rodolfo finds it, but hides it to prolong his beautiful guest’s visit. He finally gives Mimi the key and feels how cold her delicate, little hand is. The attraction is palpable. The two leave to join Rodolfo’s friends at the Café. Act Two Café Momus The street is filled with Christmas spirit. A dancer from the Moulin Rouge excites the crowd and whimsical toy seller Parpignol gives presents to the children. Marcello’s former lover, Musetta, arrives with her wealthy benefactor, Alcindoro, in tow. Trying to regain Marcello’s attention, she asks the accordion player to accompany her as she flirts with the men.