La bohème song

Considering that it is the most frequently staged opera in Met history (1, performances as of June ), La Bohème has had very few productions—just four, including its premiere.

Initially received somewhat coldly by critics, it was nevertheless met with immediate public success and was performed in every Met season from to

The first completely new production of La Bohème after its company premiere came in the –53 season, when it was sung in English in a staging by film director Joseph Mankiewicz.

In , it was the first opera to be telecast as part of the regular series of Met performances on PBS. Since , Franco Zeffirelli’s picturesque production has reigned, and with more than performances to date, its popularity has played a major role in LaBohème surpassing Verdi’s Aida as the Met’s  most performed opera.

Left: The Met’s first Mimì was the legendary coloratura soprano Nellie Melba, who f