-La Boheme is perhaps Puccini's most nearly perfect opera.- -- Hughes, Famous Puccini Operas.
It has long been one of the world's most beloved musical works -- an instantly enchanting blend of charm, warmth, gaiety, and pathos, brought to vibrant life by Puccini's sparkling, lighthearted score. La Boheme, based on Henri Murger's novel Scenes de la Vie de Boheme, was first performed at the Teatro Regio, Turin, in 1896. It soon became a staple of the operatic repertoire and has remained so ever since. Grove's Dictionary of Music and Musicians notes...