Opera, over time, has seen its fair share of modernization. Brilliant new minds conceptualize, construct, and refine new sets and costumes to tell old stories in abstract ways. The Metropolitan Opera’s 2021 production of Madama Butterfly, set within one open floor plan, with mood and setting indicated to the audience through powerful use of light, was one such adaptation. Another modern adaptation is that of Lucia de Lammermoor, led by brilliant soprano Nadine Sierra as Lucia in 2022. The Met transported the story to the present day in a run-down American town, and followed the cast around with a camera which was projected on a screen above the stage. To traditionalists, a modern adaptation may be sacrilege, but others look towards the future of art in these twists upon the classics.
Franco Zeffirelli (1923–2019), an Italian director known for his lavish and detailed productions, both in opera and film, was a visionary in his field. One of his most famous productions is his 1981 La Bohème for the Metropolitan Opera. La Bohème, already one of the most beloved operas of all time, took the world by storm after its premiere in 1895. Puccini wove romance and tragedy into his story masterfully, creating a tale that is real to its audience.
Previous Stage Director David Kneuss, who worked at the Metropolitan Opera for 43 years, was able to provide insight on the inner workings of the Met, as well as Zeffirellis genius.
His goal with La Bohème was not abstraction or reinterpretation, but immersion. Zeffirelli believed that the opera’s power came from its realism, the tragedy of ordinary people, and he built a production that honored that belief.
Zeffirelli’s production of La Bohème is the longest running opera at the Met, premiering on December 14th, 1981, and has not left the stage since. While I am partial to modern adaptations, as they allow the audience to expand their palette and witness a different interpretation of the same story, I believe that Zeffirelli’s sets are one of the most important parts of Met Opera history, and they should be regarded as such for the future of Opera adaptation.
In the 1960s, 70s, and 80s, the Metropolitan Opera was home to a remarkable number of Franco Zeffirelli’s productions. These included Tosca, Anthony and Cleopatra, Turandot, Otello, two versions of La Traviata, and of course, La Bohème. Kneuss conveyed to me the singularity of his work, as Zeffirelli brought a director’s eye and a designer’s hand, creating a living masterpiece on the stage. Zeffirelli’s productions at the Met became regarded as iconic for their dramatic intensity, lavish spectacles of color, and an emphasis on emotional realism, bringing opera to life in ways few other directors could match.
Today, only La Bohème and Turandot remain from Zeffirelli’s original contributions to the Met’s permanent collection. While some of his other productions have been retired or replaced with more contemporary interpretations, La Bohème stands as one of the most beloved productions in the companies history. Recently, a generous donation from C. Graham Berwin III allowed the Met to refurbish these classic sets. Despite the passage of time and changes in taste, Zeffirelli’s vision for these works still resonates with modern audiences, standing as a testament to his unparalleled ability to blend spectacle with deeply human emotion.
The March 13th, 2025 production of La Bohème was conducted by Alexander Soddy and featured soprano Kristina Mkhitaryan as Mimi, opposite Joseph Calleja as Rodolfo. Brittany Renee sang Musetta, Luca Micheletti her lover Marcello, Gihoon Kim as Schaunard, Nicolas Testé as Colline, and Donald Maxwell sang both Benoit and Alcindoro.
A cross section of a Parisian garret opens the first act. The curtain rises, revealing a beautifully constructed set, the attention to period detail impeccable. The struggling artist’s Rodolfo and Marcello lament their impoverished conditions, and set the stage of their close friendship. Joined by their roommates Colline and Shaunard, the scene continues with its comedic tone, as the fours bickering and bantering overshadows their indigence.
The scene is also an introduction to Mimi, as she stumbles upon the apartment in need of a candle to light her path. Rodolfo, temporarily left alone by his companions on the way to the café, happens upon her at the door. This act hinges on the chemistry between Rodolfo and Mimì. Their heartfelt duet soars with emotion, a display of the spark of love.
The start of Act II is one of the most shocking reveals that I have ever seen at the opera. The bluish grey rooftop setting encapsulating the cold, run down conditions in which our main cast lives transforms into a bustling street packed with color and life. The warm glow of the street lamps, the ladies dresses and gentlemen’s coats shining vibrant shades of every color in the rainbow, the movement across the stage encapsulating the busy streets of 19th century France. This scene is also the introduction of the lively Musetta, Marcello’s former lover, who captivates the audience with her fine clothing and bold presence. Musetta’s arrival in her extravagant gown, and the delivery of her signature aria, ‘Quando me’n vo’, steals the show. The act ends in a crescendo of vibrant singing and action, as a military parade passes through the streets.
Kneuss explained the work that goes into the magic of the start of Act II. The Mets technology backstage allows for the entire first act set to be placed on one wagon, while the set for Act II is on another, off stage. When the set is on stage, it is lowered so the wagon is flush with the stage itself, so as to not disrupt the illusion of the scene. Then, during the intermission, the set is raised back up onto the wagon’s wheels. This allows for the impossibly fast transition to take place between the acts, with stage crew wheeling the garret and the rooftops of the city away, to be replaced by vibrant city streets of the Latin Quarter, and the charming Café Momus.
The snowy weather is not the only indication of the passage of time across the intermission. A strong contrast from Act II and its joyous procession, Act III is marked by desolation, strife, and heartbreak. The somber scenery of the snowy cabin is one that perfectly complements the tone of the scene. It presents a lover’s quarrel between Musetta and Marcello, jealousy and doubt riddling Mimi and Rodolfo, the harsh winter bearing down upon the cast, unrelenting against their pleas for peace between them. With laborers passing the toll gate in the background, the center stage is taken by the emotional intensity displayed by the main cast. Mimì’s illness and her private plea to Marcello are heartbreaking, particularly when sung with fragility and honest emotion. Rodolfo’s conflicted love, guilt, and fear of losing her are laid bare before the audience, resulting in the couple’s agreement to remain together until the spring.
Act IV returns the story once more to the rooftops of Paris. The comic banter between friends Marcello and Rodolfo quickly descends into a somber affair, as Mimi returns to Rodolfo. Suffering from tuberculosis, she returns to the apartment to die with her lover. Rodolfo’s desperation to save Mimi claws against the group’s acceptance of her fate as they focus on making her passing as comfortable as possible. The final scenes demand raw vulnerability from the singers. Amid the panic and despair of the group, Rodolfo is left thrown over Mimi’s body as the curtain closes upon the tragic affair.
Kneuss worked on La Bohème with Zefirelli himself, and was able to walk me through the production, recounting the magical efforts that Zeffirelli put into his work.
“He wanted to break your heart,” said Kneuss, his Italian flair evident in his artistic creation. “He favored the designing over the directing… he wanted to show off.”
Zeffirelli’s attention to detail is what makes his productions shine. His involvement in the show was unbounded, as he ensured every aspect was perfected by the stage crew and the performers. Kneuss recounted Zeffirelli being up on stage, working with the lead soprano Teresa Stratas. He zeroed in on the minutiae of the scene, placing the utmost importance on where the singer’s hands should rest on the staircase banter during her aria in Act III. The intentionality behind every action immerses the audience in the romance, tension, and devastation that is written in the music.
The garret in the first act is one such difference. Kneuss described how with the Met’s stage technology, the set is able to be hoisted above the rooftops in order to create a more immersive scene. Balanced atop chimney tops and shingled roofs, the apartment is illuminated to stand out. Most other productions feature the apartment set flat on the stage, which while logistically simpler, disrupts the authenticity of the scene for the audience. While the closed nature of the set proves daunting to some singers, who have concerns about the audience being able to hear them, the shell of the apartment acts as an incredibly well refined acoustic tool that carries their voices to the far ends of the theater.
A more recent change made to the production was by General Manager of the Met, Peter Gelb. With the introduction of HD streaming for Met operas, a concern about visibility and quality came into play. A painted scrim used to be part of the third act’s set design, its intention to soften the scene and continue the illusion of snow falling in the cold winter even after the stage effect ends. However, Kneuss explained that it caused issues with the cameras used to record the performance, preventing the lenses from focusing on the singers and the details of the set behind the scrim. They made the decision to remove the scrim in 2019, a compromise that does not take away from the integrity of the show, but does stray from Zeffirelli’s original meticulous design.
Franco Zeffirelli’s La Bohème is not just a beloved Met production. Its splendor has also reached the hearts of opera goers around the world, and for many, it is the definitive production of La Bohème. It may be said with no doubt that Zeffirelli managed to create a production that is timeless, yet remains utterly alive.
Franco Zeffirelli’s La Bohème is not just a beloved Met production. Its splendor has also reached the hearts of opera goers around the world, and for many, it is the definitive production of La Bohème. It may be said with no doubt that Zeffirelli managed to create a production that is timeless, yet remains utterly alive.