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La bohème

Oct. 16-30, 2021

“Seattle Opera’s sensational vocalists and sweeping scenic design immersed me in the world of La bohème
Encore Spotlight

Overview

Puccini's score is intoxicatingly beautiful.”

The Seattle Times


Music by Giacomo Puccini; Libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa

A timeless story of love and loss. An audience favorite for over a century, this tale of four young Parisians who dedicate their lives to art and love is guaranteed to touch your heart. Puccini’s lush, romantic score perfectly captures the simple joys and heartbreaking sorrows of the idealistic young Bohemians. Their camaraderie, conviction, and passions, masterfully conveyed by an iconic score, make La bohème easy to love—and impossible to forget. 

 

Performance Information

Performance Information

McCaw Hall

Evening performances at 7:30 PM. Sunday matinees at 2:00 PM

In Italian with English Subtitles

Performance Time: Approximately 2 hour and 35 minutes.

Audio Described Performance: Sunday, October 17, 2021 at 2:00 PM

Movie-style Rating: PG

Trailer

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COVID Safety

The safety of our artists, staff, and you, our audience members, are our first priority. Safety protocols are reviewed on an ongoing basis and the latest information is always on our safety page.

Proof of vaccination is required at the door for all McCaw Hall events. Children under 12 and people with a medical condition or closely held religious belief that prevents vaccination must provide proof of a recent negative COVID-19 test. In addition, masks will be required at all Seattle Opera performances next season regardless of vaccination status. Read our safety page for specific details on these policies.

Safety Protocols

Cast

Yosep Kang

Rodolfo

Tenor
At Seattle Opera in 2021/22:
 Rodolfo, La bohème

Hometown: Berlin, Germany
Seattle Opera Debut
Recently: Riccardo, Un ballo in maschera (Deutsche Oper Berlin); Raoul de Nangis, Les Huguenots (Opera National de Paris); Rodolfo, La bohème (Wiener Staatsoper); Arnold, Guillaume Tell (Bayerische Staatsoper Munich); Hoffmann, The Tales of Hoffmann (Metropolitan Opera)
Upcoming: Faust, The Damnation of Faust (Latvian National Opera)

Last Updated: September 2021

Yosep Kang

Rodolfo

Seattle Opera Debut
Oct. 16, 22, 24m, 30

Kang Wang

Rodolfo

Tenor
At Seattle Opera in 2021/22: Rodolfo, La bohème

Hometown: Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
Seattle Opera Debut
Recently:
  Don Ottavio, Don Giovanni (Pittsburgh Opera); The Duke, Rigoletto (Austin Lyric Opera); Rodolfo, La bohème (Opera Australia)
Upcoming: Ferrando, Così fan tutte (Washington National Opera)

Last Updated: September 2021

Kang Wang

Rodolfo

Seattle Opera Debut
Oct. 17m, 20, 23, 27

Karen Vuong

Mimì

Soprano
At Seattle Opera in 2022/23: Diane Tran, Bound

Hometown: Los Angeles, CA
Seattle Opera Debut: Trang/Nurse, Amelia (’10)
Previously at Seattle Opera: Mimì, La bohème (’21); Tina, Flight (’21); Soloist, Songs of Summer (’20)
Engagements: Rusalka, Rusalka (Portland Opera); Fiordiligi, Così fan tutte (Oper Frankfurt); Micaëla, Carmen (Oper Frankfurt); Maya Lin, The Rift (Washington National Opera); Gänsemagd, Königskinder (Tirolerfestspiele Erl); Soloist, American Songbook Series (Lincoln Center)

Last Updated: March 2023

Karen Vuong

Mimì

Oct. 16, 22, 24m, 30

Keri Alkema

Mimì

Soprano
At Seattle Opera in 2021/22:
 Mimì, La bohème

Hometown: Palm Beach Gardens, FL
Seattle Opera Debut: Elisabetta, Mary Stuart ('16)
Recently: Donna Elvira, Don Giovanni (Washington National Opera); Foreign Princess, Rusalka (Canadian Opera Company); Cio-Cio-san, Madama Butterfly (Teatro Carlo Felice); Amelia, Un ballo in maschera (Gran Teatre del Liceu); Tosca, Tosca (Washington National Opera)

Last updated: September 2021

Keri Alkema

Mimì

Oct. 17m, 20, 23, 27

John Moore

Marcello

Baritone
At Seattle Opera in 2023/24: Soloist60th Anniversary Concert & Gala

Hometown: Milford (Okoboji), IA
Seattle Opera Debut: Count Almaviva, The Marriage of Figaro (’16) 
Previously at Seattle Opera: Rasheed, A Thousand Splendid Suns ('23); Marcello, La bohème (’21); Eugene Onegin, Eugene Onegin (’20); Steve Jobs, The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs (’19); Figaro, The Barber of Seville (’17); Papageno, The Magic Flute (’17)
Engagements: Leon Klinghoffer, The Death of Klinghoffer (Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra);Jess, A Thousand Acres (Des Moines Metro Opera); Steve Jobs, The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs (San Francisco Opera, Utah Opera, Atlanta Opera, Austin Opera, & Lyric Opera of Kansas City); Count Almaviva, The Marriage of Figaro (New Zealand Opera); Pelléas, Pelléas et Mélisande (Des Moines Metro Opera); Dillon, The Listeners (Opera Philadelphia, Lyric Opera of Chicago)

Last Updated: February 2024

John Moore

Marcello

Oct. 16, 22, 24m, 30

Michael Chioldi

Marcello

Baritone
At Seattle Opera in 2024/25Tonio, Pagliacci

Hometown: New York, NY
Seattle Opera Debut: Baron Scarpia, Tosca (’21)
Previously at Seattle Opera: Donner, Das Rheingold ('23); Giorgio Germont, La traviata ('23); Marcello, La bohème (’21)
Engagements: Iago, Otello (MET Opera Orchestra Tour); Álvaro, Florencia en el Amazonas (Metropolitan Opera); Germont, La Traviata (Pittsburgh Opera); Rigoletto, Rigoletto (Metropolitan Opera); Falstaff, Falstaff (Palm Beach Opera); The Dutchman, The Flying Dutchman (Utah Opera)

Last Updated: June 2024

Michael Chioldi

Marcello

Oct. 17m, 20, 23, 27

Ginger Costa-Jackson

Musetta

Mezzo-Soprano
At Seattle Opera in 2023/24: Bradamante, Alcina; Soloist, 60th Anniversary Concert & Gala

Hometown: Palermo, Sicily
Seattle Opera Debut: Dorabella, Così fan tutte (’18)
Previously at Seattle Opera: Musetta, La bohème (’21); Cinderella, Cinderella (’20); Three Singing Sisters Concert (’20); Carmen, Carmen ('19)
Engagements: Andromaca, Ermione (Washington Concert Opera);Donna Elvira, Don Giovanni (Teatro Petruzzelli); Giulietta, The Tales of Hoffmann (Gran Teatre del Liceu); Dorabella, Così fan tutte (La Monnaie); Carmen, Carmen (English National Opera, Opéra Royal de Wallonie, and Hamburg Opera); Charlotte, Werther (Grange Park Opera)

Last updated: February 2024

Ginger Costa-Jackson

Musetta

Oct. 16, 22, 24m, 30

Brandie Sutton

Musetta

Soprano
At Seattle Opera in 2024/25: Pamina, The Magic Flute

Hometown: Huntsville, AL
Seattle Opera Debut: Clara, Porgy and Bess (’18)
Previously at Seattle Opera: Musetta, La bohème (’21)
Recently: La Fee, Cendrillon (Metropolitan Opera); Violetta, La Traviata (Virginia Opera); Soprano, Carmina Burana (Opera Philadelphia); Treemonisha, Treemonisha (Opera Theatre of St. Louis); Anne, Sir John in Love (Bard Festival); The 4 Heroines, The Tales of Hoffmann (Palm Beach Opera)

Last Updated: December 2023

 

 

Brandie Sutton

Musetta

Oct. 17m, 20, 23, 27

Ashraf Sewailam

Colline

Bass-Baritone
At Seattle Opera in 2023/24: Dr. Bartolo, The Barber of Seville

Hometown: Cairo, Egypt
Seattle Opera Debut: Colline, La bohème ('07)
Previously at Seattle Opera: Hakim/Driver, A Thousand Splendid Suns ('23); Colline, La bohème ('21); Leporello, Don Giovanni ('14); Mandarin, Turandot ('12); Pistola, Falstaff ('10)
Engagements: Dulcamara, L’elisir d’amore (New Orleans Opera); Bartolo, Il barbiere di Siviglia (Lyric Opera of Kansas City); Mustafa, L'italiana in Algeri (Portland Opera); First Priest, The Magic Flute (The Metropolitan Opera); Ferrando, Il trovatore (Pittsburgh Opera); Mr. Costello, Ghosts (San Diego Opera)

Last updated: February 2024

Ashraf Sewailam

Colline

Oct. 16, 22, 24m, 30

Federico De Michelis

Colline

Bass-Baritone
At Seattle Opera in 2021/22: 
Colline, La bohème

Hometown: Buenos Aires, Argentina
Seattle Opera Debut
Recently: Leporello, Don Giovanni (Florida Grand Opera); Balthazar, La Favorite (Houston Grand Opera); Colline, La bohème (Gran Teatre del Liceu) 
Upcoming: Figaro, The Marriage of Figaro (Virginia Opera)

Last Updated: September 2021

Federico De Michelis

Colline

Seattle Opera Debut
Oct. 17m, 20, 23, 27

Eugene Villanueva

Schaunard

Baritone
At Seattle Opera in 2021/22
: Schaunard, La bohème

Hometown: Daly City, CA
Seattle Opera Debut
Recently: Rodrigo, Don Carlo and Escamillo, Carmen (Staatstheater Braunschweig); Novice's Friend, Billy Budd (San Francisco Opera)
Upcoming: Alfio, Cavalleria rusticana (Festival Ruggero Leoncavallo)

Last Updated: May 2021

Eugene Villanueva

Schaunard

Seattle Opera Debut
Oct. 16, 23, 24m, 27, 30

Theo Hoffman

Schaunard

Baritone
At Seattle Opera in 2021/22:
 Schaunard, La bohème

Hometown: New York, NY
Seattle Opera Debut: Recitalist, Songs of Summer ('20)
Recently: Escamillo, Carmen (Atlanta Opera); Papageno, The Magic Flute (LA Opera); Denis, Denis & Katya (Opera Philadelphia)
Upcoming: Papageno, The Magic Flute and Count Almaviva, The Marriage of Figaro (Israeli Opera); Frédéric, Lakmé (Washington Concert Opera)

Last Updated: September 2021

Theo Hoffman

Schaunard

Oct. 17m, 20, 22

Barry Johnson

Benoît/Alcindoro

Baritone
At Seattle Opera in 2024/25: 

Hometown: Douglas, AZ
Seattle Opera Debut: Marco, Gianni Schicchi (’90) 
Previously at Seattle Opera: Benoit/Alcindoro, La bohème (’21); Antonio, The Marriage of Figaro (’22); Marullo, Rigoletto ('19); Baron Douphol, La traviata (’16); Sciarrone, Tosca (’15)

Engagements: Capulet, Romeo et Juliette (Vashon Opera); Stage Director, HMS Pinafore (Pacific Lutheran University); Don Giovanni (Pacific Lutheran University); L’Elisir d’Amore (Pacific Lutheran University)

Last updated: February 2024

Barry Johnson

Benoît/Alcindoro

Oct. 16, 17m, 20, 22, 23, 24m, 27, 30

Creative Team

Joseph Colaneri

Conductor

At Seattle Opera in 2021/22: La bohème

Hometown: New York City, NY
Seattle Opera Debut
Music Director of The Glimmerglass Festival
Recently: Mefistofele (Metropolitan Opera); The Ghosts of Versailles (Opéra Royal de Versailles); La traviata (Glimmerglass Festival)
Upcoming: La bohème (New Orleans Opera); La traviata (Toledo Opera)

Last Updated: April 2021

Joseph Colaneri

Conductor

David Gately

Director

Director
At Seattle Opera in 2023/24:
Director, 60th Anniversary Concert & Gala

Hometown: Seattle, WA
Seattle Opera Debut: The Barber of Seville (’92)
Previously at Seattle Opera: Samson and Delilah in Concert(’23); La bohème (’21);The Elixir of Love (’20); Madame Butterfly (’95)
Engagements: Angels in America (BBC Symphony Orchestra); Before Night Falls (Florida Grand Opera); Le contes d'Hoffmann (Palm Beach Opera); Otello (Maryland Lyric Opera); Voir Dire (Fort Worth Opera Festival); A Midsummer Night's Dream (Boston Conservatory at Berklee)

Last Updated: March 2024

David Gately

Director

Chad R. Jung

Lighting Designer

At Seattle Opera in 2021/22: Lighting Designer, La bohème

Hometown: Fort Worth, TX
Seattle Opera Debut
Recently: JFK (Opéra de Montréal); Don Quichotte (Sydney Opera House); María de Buenos Aires (Arizona Opera); The Tragedy of Carmen (Florentine Opera)

Last Updated: September 2021

Chad R. Jung

Lighting Designer

Seattle Opera Debut

John Keene

Chorusmaster

At Seattle Opera in 2021/22: Orpheus and Eurydice, The Marriage of Figaro

Hometown: Lancaster, PA
Seattle Opera Debut: Chorusmaster, Fidelio (’12)
Previously at Seattle Opera: Chorusmaster: La bohème (’21), Tosca (’21), Eugene Onegin (’20); Pianist: Angela Meade and Jamie Barton in Concert (’20), Pagliacci and Cavalleria rusticana highlights recitals (’20)

Last updated: December 2021

John Keene

Chorusmaster

Orchestra, Chorus, & Additional Artists

Orchestra

Violin I
Timothy Garland, Concertmaster
Jennifer Bai, Assistant Concertmaster
Brittany Breeden
Kelly Farris
John Weller
Arthur Zadinsky

Violin II
Kathleen Boyer, Principal
Linda Cole
Artur Girsky
Adrianna Hulscher
Andrew Yeung

Viola
Susan Gulkis Assadi, Principal
Tim Hale, Asst. Principal
Wesley Dyring
Rachel Swerdlow

Cello
Nathan Chan, Principal
Eric Han, Asst. Principal
Walter Gray
Vivian Gu

Bass
Joseph Kaufman, Principal
Jonathan Burnstein, Asst. Principal
Masaru Podgorny

Flute/Piccolo
Demarre McGill, Principal

Oboe
Ben Hausmann, Principal

Clarinet
Emil Khudyev, Principal
Laura DeLuca

Bassoon
Luke Fieweger, Principal

Horn
Mark Robbins, Principal
Jonathan Karschney

Trumpet
Alexander White, Principal

Trombone
David Ritt, Principal

Timpani
James Benoit, Principal

Harp
Michael Werner, Principal
Rob Tucker

Harp
Valerie Muzzolini, Principal

 

Personnel Manager
Liz Kane

Assistant Personnel Manager
Keith Higgins

 

 

Rotating members of the string sections are listed alphabetically. The Orchestra is composed of members of the Seattle Symphony Orchestra.

Chorus

Soprano
Jennifer Campbell
Carissa Castaldo
Dana Johnson Robbins
Ellaina Lewis
Linda Mattos
Ibidunni Ojikutu
Eleanor Stallcop-Horrox

Mezzo
YeonSoo Lee
Gail Neil
Elizabeth Peterson
Melissa Plagemann
Susan Salas

Tenor
Nathan Barnes
Anthony James
Tim Janecke
Karl Reyes
Korland Simmons
Stephen Wall

Bass/Baritone
Michael Dunlap
Craig Grayson
Glenn Guhr
Ben Kramer
Zachary Martin
Revere Taylor

Supernumeraries

Allan Armstrong
Tim Barrick
Brayden Daher
Tristan Hagen
Sarah T. Kaplan
Anna Klein
Daniel “Monk” Romer

 

 

 

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Photos & Videos

Listen to the Music

Articles & Events

La bohème 101 Podcast

A podcast introducing La bohème, narrated by Seattle Opera Dramaturg Jonathan Dean. Musical examples from Seattle Opera’s archival recordings of La bohème from 2007.

Listen Now

Opera Talk: Composer Spotlight on Puccini

As we gear up for Puccini’s beloved La bohème, we’ll consider this vital creator whose genius had so much influence on the art and culture of the twentieth century.

Watch Now

La bohème: How a movement got its name

This blog post explores the historical context and modern relevance of Puccini’s enduring classic.

Read Now

Season Sponsor

Seattle Opera Foundation


Young Singers Season Sponsor

Maureen and Richard Swanson

Production Sponsors

Toby Bright and Nancy Ward
John F. and Laurel Nesholm
Barbara Stephanus
Ann P. Wyckoff
ArtsFund
and C.E. Stuart Charitable Trust.
Additional support from 4Culture

Main Image La bohème, Opera Omaha, 2009 © Opera Omaha | Photos: © Sunny Martini; © Philip Newton