FLASHBACK FRIDAY: Over the year’s we’ve seen some of the most beautiful shows ever written for the Broadway stage. There have been a few times that an actual Opera was produced on Broadway rather than in an Opera house.
In 2002, Broadway presented an acclaimed production of Puccini’s Opera La Boheme (what Jonathan Larson’s Rent is based off of) by acclaimed Award winning director Baz Luhrmann (Romeo and Juliet, The Great Gatsby, and Moulin Rouge). This production was originally produced in Australia back in 1990 and was well known for changing it’s time in Paris from 1830 to 1957 which Luhrmann did a lot of research of people living in Paris during 1957. It was a time of artistic experimentation, World War II kids coming of age and inoculation from disease.
Following the success of his worldwide smash musical film MOULIN ROUGE, Luhrmann went back to the production of LA BOHEME and produced it on Broadway. It played the Broadway Theatre for 240 performances. Because Puccini’s score is one of the most difficult scores to sing and to do it 8 times a week, several of the main characters were rotated including the roles of “Marcello” (The Painter), “Rudolfo” (The Poet), “Mimi” (The Seamstress), and “Musetta” (The Flirtatious Lover).
Several famous vocalists appeared in this production including Alfie Boe (later well known for his performance of “Jean Vailjean” in the 25th Anniversary production of Les Miserables – Musical), David Miller (later known for being one of the members of the acclaimed classical quarter group Il Divo), and even a 13 year old Joe Jonas (appearing in the Children’s Chorus).
Baz Luhurman’s presentation of LA BOHEME went on to receive 6 Tony Awards nominations in 2003 including for Best Revival of a Musical. It ended up winning 3 Awards for Best Scenic Design, Best Lighting Design, and a special Tony Honor for Excellence in Theatre for the rotating singers.
Check out this acclaimed production’s performance on the 2003 Tony Awards. They performed a medley of some of Puccini’s beautiful and thrilling music.
How beautiful does this presentation look?
David Miller actua en la presentci?n de los Premios Tony con el resto del reparto de La Boheme de Baz Luzman a?os antes de ser parte de IL DIVO. WWW.IL-DIVO.TK
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