A Simple Tale of Love at First Sight Makes La bohème

One of the Most Popular Operas of All Time
January 20 – 28 at Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre

Speakeysie News Desk

ATLANTA – The Atlanta Opera opens in 2024 with one of the greatest operas ever written, Giacomo Puccini’s masterwork, La bohème, opening January 20th at Cobb Energy Performing Arts Center. Performances are SAT 20 JAN at 8pm; TUE 23 JAN at 7:30pm; FRI 26 JAN at 8pm; SUN 28 JAN at 3pm. This production is sponsored by beloved Atlanta arts patron Katherine Scott.

One of the most popular operas ever, La bohème is a transcendent and tragic love story told
through a poetic libretto and enchanting music.

• With an exceptional international cast, led by soprano Gabrielle Reyes, hailed for her
  “lusciously-colored” voice, as the seamstress Mimi and tenor Long Long, who has performed opera’s signature leading men around the world, as the poet Rodolfo.
• Producing Director Tomer Zvulun created a visually arresting and popular production that has also been seen in Seattle, Dallas, and Cleveland.
• La bohème will be performed under the baton of conductor Jonathan Brandani, Artistic Director for Calgary Opera.
• Opera Insights, the pre-performance presentations, are free to ticket holders. One hour before the performance with general seating in the main orchestra section. Featured speaker: Dr. Uzee Brown, Chair of the Division of Creative and Performing Arts (retired) at Morehouse College.
• A free livestream of the performance is scheduled for Friday, January 26 beginning at 7pm. Link to The Atlanta Opera Film Studio to view: https://stream.atlantaopera.org/tao-livestreams
• Special program tickets: Organized student groups are welcome at the final dress rehearsal; Veterans and active military are offered free tickets for any performance; Pride Night is Tuesday’s performance; Forte Friday is offered to young professionals with an enhanced ticket that includes a cocktail and reception. Call the ticket office for details.

Ticket prices start at $45 and can be purchased online at AtlantaOpera.org or by calling The Atlanta Opera ticket office at 404-881-8885.

La bohème will be sung in Italian with English supertitles.

La bohème at The Atlanta Opera
Reflecting the romance of Paris during the 1880s, this opera brings us lovers and friends living a
bohemian life. The poet Rodolfo encounters Mimi in the opening moments of La bohème. As the pair fall instantly in love, they sing a trio of beloved songs – Rodolfo’s aria “Che gelida manina” (What an icy little hand), followed by Mimi’s aria, “Si, mi chiamo Mimi” (Yes, my name is Mimi) and the great love duet, “O soave fanciulla” (Oh gentle maiden). Another popular aria is “Quando m’en vo’” (When I go along), better known as Musetta’s Waltz, follows in the second act.

Conductor Jonathan Brandani will lead La bohème from the podium. The Italian-born Brandani,
currently the Artistic Director for Calgary Opera, is appreciated for his “fine regard for the score’s details… his clear, purposeful indications” (Seen and Heard International). Recent engagements include L’elisir d’amore at the Teatro Comunale di Bologna, La bohème at Calgary Opera, L’elisir d’amore and Don Pasquale at the Deutsche Oper am Rhein, and Il mondo della luna at the Palau de les Arts Reina Sofia.

Staging Director Gregory Boyle, a long-time assistant director at The Atlanta Opera, will manage this Zvulun production. A graduate of The Professional Development Program at The Juilliard School in New York City, Boyle has held associate and assistant director engagements at companies including Opera Philadelphia, the Santa Fe Opera, The Dallas Opera, Central City Opera, and Virginia Opera among others as well as multiple positions with The Atlanta Opera. Tomer Zvulun will oversee the remounting of his original production.

With a voice described as “radiant and rich in vibrato” by The New York Times, soprano Gabriella Reyes will perform Mimi, the seamstress. A former member of the Metropolitan Opera’s Lindemann Young Artist Development Program, Reyes recently appeared there as both Liu in Turandot and Musetta in La bohème. Last season she made her Paris Opera debut as Cio-Cio San in Seven Deaths of Maria Callas and her role debut as Mimì in La bohème at the Glyndebourne Festival.

Celebrated tenor Long Long, who has sung signature leading men for prestigious opera companies around the world, will make his house debut in the role of the poet Rodolfo. Recent and upcoming seasons will see Long perform Rodolfo with Santa Fe Opera Festival and Semperoper Dresden, Roméo Roméo et Juliette with Dallas Opera, and Tamino Die Zauberflöte with Semperoper Dresden.

Singing the role of Marcello, the painter, is Zachary Nelson. Nelson made his The Atlanta Opera debut last season as Alberich in Das Rheingold, a highlight of his 2022-23 season that also included productions of Roméo et Juliette with Florentine Opera and Opera San Antonio and a return to the role of Leporello in Don Giovanni with North Carolina Opera.

A 2018 winner of the Metropolitan National Council Auditions, soprano Madison Leonard will sing Musetta. Familiar to Atlanta audiences for her portrayal of Chrisann Brennan in Bates’ The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs, she has been praised for her “silvery, ethereal-sounding Sophie” by Opera magazine and “lovely vocal delicacy” in The Telegraph. Last season saw Leonard return to the roles of Gilda in Rigoletto and Juliette in Roméo et Juliette with Dallas Opera and Central City Opera.

Supporting the Arts:
The Atlanta Opera extends its gratitude to its sponsors, patrons, and supporters who make productions like La bohème possible. Their commitment to the arts enriches the cultural landscape of the city and enables the Opera to continue presenting world-class performances to diverse audiences. Season sponsorship is provided by the Coca-Cola Company. Free tickets to veterans are available through the support of the Home Depot Foundation. Additional support is provided by the City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs and by the National Endowment for the Arts; by the Georgia Council for the Arts through the appropriations of the Georgia General Assembly; and by the Fulton County Board of Commissioners.

Join the Conversation:
Engage with fellow opera enthusiasts and stay up-to-date with the latest news about La bohème by following The Atlanta Opera on social media: Facebook and Instagram.

For more information, visit atlantaopera.org.