In the late 1980's, playwright Billy Aronson fell in love with opera, particularly Puccini's La Boheme. He gets the idea of creating a modern musical adaptation. He writes, "The similarity between these artists and their poverty in New York in the late '80's struck me. The numbers of homeless people were shooting up and people were dying around us. There was AIDS and lack of government support for the arts. I wanted to rework the plot of the opera..."
In 1989, Aronson found a composer to collaborate with- Jonathan Larson. Larson was perfect for Aronson. He thought his music was expressive, which could make the project so similar to La Boheme. But the two faced difficulties and started to get busy with other projects so the collaboration was stalled.
In 1987, a close friend confided in Jonathan that he was HIV-positive. Jonathan eventually learned that more of his friends were diagnosed with AIDS. The disease had suddenly become a concern in his life and so he returned to working on what would eventually become the phenomenon that is RENT.
In 1989, Aronson found a composer to collaborate with- Jonathan Larson. Larson was perfect for Aronson. He thought his music was expressive, which could make the project so similar to La Boheme. But the two faced difficulties and started to get busy with other projects so the collaboration was stalled.
In 1987, a close friend confided in Jonathan that he was HIV-positive. Jonathan eventually learned that more of his friends were diagnosed with AIDS. The disease had suddenly become a concern in his life and so he returned to working on what would eventually become the phenomenon that is RENT.
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The following is a direct lift from the RENT Book (Interviews and Text by Evelyn McDonnell and Katherine Silberger. New York: Melcher Media, 1997, p.25)
The following is a direct lift from the RENT Book (Interviews and Text by Evelyn McDonnell and Katherine Silberger. New York: Melcher Media, 1997, p.25)
By the time Giacomo Puccini wrote La Bohème, in 1895, he was already a leader of Italy’s younger musical generation. His fourth and most celebrated opera was based on Henri Murger’s Scenes de Ia Vie de Bohéme, a loosely linked series of autobiographical episodes published in 1848.
La Bohème depicts a group of artists, composers and their friends who live lives of romanticized poverty, searching for love and connection despite jealousy and hardship. This was a highly unorthodox choice of operatic subject for that time. Bohemian life existed in northern Italy (in the 1860s, a group of Milanese writers, composers and painters called themselves the Scapigliatura, or “Disorderly Ones”). But most popular operas traded in stylized artificiality, with larger-than- life characters and happy endings.
Jonathan Larson liberally adapted Puccini’s opera. Paris’ Latin Quarter of the 1830’s became the present-day Lower East Side. Rodolfo, the dramatist driven by jealousy, became Roger, a musician recovering from heroin addiction who is paralyzed by fear. Colline the philosopher became Tom Collins, a New York University philosophy professor who falls for a transvestite named Angel.
In Puccini’s version, Mimi is a sweet, tubercular seamstress; Larson’s Mimi is a sassy, HIV-positive dancer at an S&M club. Musetta, the coquette who takes advantage of the rich, elderly Alcindoro, becomes ditsy diva Maureen, who dumps Mark for Joanne, a lawyer from a socially prominent family.
Larson also took license with Puccini’s plot twists. In La Bohème, Colline pawns his overcoat in the fourth act to pay for doctor for Mimi; in the first act of Rent, Tom Collins loses his muggers. Puccini’s bohemians gather at Momus Tavern at the rue d’Enfer; the New York crew gathers at the Life Cafe in the Last Village.
Although Larson borrowed loosely from Puccini, Rent reflects his own struggles, as well as those of his contemporaries. Poverty unites the characters in La Boheme; in Rent, they also struggle for their art and with HIV. But Larson’s and Puccini’s bohemians have more in common than hardship: they share spirit, youth, hope. delight in one another’s companionship and above all, a willingness to fight for love.
La Bohème depicts a group of artists, composers and their friends who live lives of romanticized poverty, searching for love and connection despite jealousy and hardship. This was a highly unorthodox choice of operatic subject for that time. Bohemian life existed in northern Italy (in the 1860s, a group of Milanese writers, composers and painters called themselves the Scapigliatura, or “Disorderly Ones”). But most popular operas traded in stylized artificiality, with larger-than- life characters and happy endings.
Jonathan Larson liberally adapted Puccini’s opera. Paris’ Latin Quarter of the 1830’s became the present-day Lower East Side. Rodolfo, the dramatist driven by jealousy, became Roger, a musician recovering from heroin addiction who is paralyzed by fear. Colline the philosopher became Tom Collins, a New York University philosophy professor who falls for a transvestite named Angel.
In Puccini’s version, Mimi is a sweet, tubercular seamstress; Larson’s Mimi is a sassy, HIV-positive dancer at an S&M club. Musetta, the coquette who takes advantage of the rich, elderly Alcindoro, becomes ditsy diva Maureen, who dumps Mark for Joanne, a lawyer from a socially prominent family.
Larson also took license with Puccini’s plot twists. In La Bohème, Colline pawns his overcoat in the fourth act to pay for doctor for Mimi; in the first act of Rent, Tom Collins loses his muggers. Puccini’s bohemians gather at Momus Tavern at the rue d’Enfer; the New York crew gathers at the Life Cafe in the Last Village.
Although Larson borrowed loosely from Puccini, Rent reflects his own struggles, as well as those of his contemporaries. Poverty unites the characters in La Boheme; in Rent, they also struggle for their art and with HIV. But Larson’s and Puccini’s bohemians have more in common than hardship: they share spirit, youth, hope. delight in one another’s companionship and above all, a willingness to fight for love.
Larson's Inspiration image of La Boheme
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The following images are from the Oct.2-3 Dress Rehearsals of the Philippine Opera Company's adaptation of La Boheme, the RENT book, the film version of RENT, and Broadway stagings.
Rodolfo is a poet, Marcello is a painter.
Roger is a musician, Mark is a film maker.
Rodolfo and Marcello burn furniture and poetry for heat
Roger and Mark burn posters and screenplays
Schaunard the musician arrives with food for the starving artists. He later takes them to Cafe Momus to celebrate his new job.
Collins brings food for Roger and Mark. Later, Angel Schunard pays for their celebration at the Life Cafe.
Benoit/Benny arrives to collect their RENT. They don't pay.
Colline the philosopher and Schaunard the musician are friends.
Tom Collins the philosopher and Angel Schunard are lovers.
Mimi arrives asking for a light.
"Would you light my candle?"
Mimi drops her keys and Roger helps to find them.
Mimi drops her stash of drugs and Roger helps to find them.
"They say I have the best ass below 14th street. Is it true? -Mimi of RENT."
"Sì, mi chiamano Mimì"
"They call me Mimi."
At the Cafe Momus (1910 Berlin Production and CCP Production)
At the Life Cafe
Chaos at Cafe Momus
"La vie Boheme!"
Musetta: Alcindoro or Marcello?
Tango Maureen: Joanne or Mark?
"Quando me'n vo. La gente sosta e mira. - Musetta's waltz"
"Every single day I walk down the street... everybody stares at me. Boys, girls, I can't help it baby. - Maureen, Take me or leave me."
Mimi loves Rodolfo/Roger
Mimi overhears Rodolfo telling Marcello his reasons for leaving her. Rodolfo and Mimi decide to stay together only until spring.
Roger and Mimi break up after Mimi hears Roger's fears.
"Goodbye love. -Mimi of RENT"
Rodolfo and Marcello long for their lovers. The artists dream of a better life.
"Do you know a way to Santa Fe?"
Musetta/Maureen finds a sick Mimi and brings her to Rodolfo/Roger.
The friends care for Mimi in her final moments.
Colline pawns his coat to get more money for Mimi.
Tom Collins loses his to muggers at the start. Angel buys back his coat later on.
Singing songs of love for one another.
Mimi dies.
Mimi lives. "No day but today."
The following images are from the Oct.2-3 Dress Rehearsals of the Philippine Opera Company's adaptation of La Boheme, the RENT book, the film version of RENT, and Broadway stagings.
Rodolfo is a poet, Marcello is a painter.
Roger is a musician, Mark is a film maker.
 |
Rodolfo and Marcello burn furniture and poetry for heat
Roger and Mark burn posters and screenplays
 |
Schaunard the musician arrives with food for the starving artists. He later takes them to Cafe Momus to celebrate his new job.
Collins brings food for Roger and Mark. Later, Angel Schunard pays for their celebration at the Life Cafe.
 |
Benoit/Benny arrives to collect their RENT. They don't pay.
 |
Colline the philosopher and Schaunard the musician are friends.
Tom Collins the philosopher and Angel Schunard are lovers.
 |
Mimi arrives asking for a light.
"Would you light my candle?"
 |
Mimi drops her keys and Roger helps to find them.
Mimi drops her stash of drugs and Roger helps to find them.
"They say I have the best ass below 14th street. Is it true? -Mimi of RENT."
 |
"Sì, mi chiamano Mimì"
"They call me Mimi."
 |
At the Cafe Momus (1910 Berlin Production and CCP Production)
At the Life Cafe
 |
Chaos at Cafe Momus
"La vie Boheme!"
 |
Musetta: Alcindoro or Marcello?
Tango Maureen: Joanne or Mark?
 |
"Quando me'n vo. La gente sosta e mira. - Musetta's waltz"
"Every single day I walk down the street... everybody stares at me. Boys, girls, I can't help it baby. - Maureen, Take me or leave me."
 |
Mimi loves Rodolfo/Roger
 |
Mimi overhears Rodolfo telling Marcello his reasons for leaving her. Rodolfo and Mimi decide to stay together only until spring.
Roger and Mimi break up after Mimi hears Roger's fears.
"Goodbye love. -Mimi of RENT"
 |
Rodolfo and Marcello long for their lovers. The artists dream of a better life.
"Do you know a way to Santa Fe?"
 |
Musetta/Maureen finds a sick Mimi and brings her to Rodolfo/Roger.
 |
The friends care for Mimi in her final moments.
 |
Colline pawns his coat to get more money for Mimi.
Tom Collins loses his to muggers at the start. Angel buys back his coat later on.
 |
Singing songs of love for one another.
 |
Mimi dies.
Mimi lives. "No day but today."
 |
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