Romantic opera in four acts (by Puccini).Music by Giacomo Puccini. Libretto by Giacosa and Illica. First produced in Turin, February 1, 1896. PLACE: Paris. TIME: 1830.

Two young bohemians, a poet and an artist, are at work in an attic in the Quartier Latin in Paris. They are Rudolph and Marcel, who, though confident of a dazzling future, find it a little hard today to disregard their plight - for it is Christmas Eve and they have neither fuel nor food. Finally Rudolph philosophically makes a fire with one of his masterpieces; and as both artists joke and warm themselves, and unexpected windfall arrives in the form and wine; and then, as their visitor still has some money, they go out to celebrate. Rudoplh, however, remains to write in his journal.
Soon the young poet is interrupted by the entrance of a young girl whose frail, exquisite beauty immediately fills him with tender rapture. She is Mimi; and, though she is extremely weak and ill, she happily returns the passion of Rudolph who takes her is his arms and declares his love. Joyously they go to join in the merrymaking of their friends. The same night the artist Marcel is reunited with his coquettish sweetheart, Musette. Thus for several months the two couples live happily together. But Musette is too fond of luxuries to stand poverty long, so she leaves Marcel for a richer lover. And Rudolph and Mimi, in spite of their passionate love, also become miserable and unhappy; for Rudolph’s jealous nature finally drives Mimi from him. After a long separation Musette finally brings Mimi to her repentant lover. Overjoyed at being together again the happy pair swear never to part. But it is too late; for Mimi, now ravaged by consumption, dies in her lover’s arms.

The performance is in Italian language.