(SCENE DA LA VIE DE BOHÈME DI HENRY MURGER)
GENRE 4 Quadri
LIBRETTO Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa, after H. Murger, Scènes de la vie de bohème
FIRST PERFORMED Teatro Regio, Torino [Turin], 1 February 1896
NOTES

                                                

 La bohème was the first of Puccini’s several successful collaborations with the librettist team of Illica and Giacosa. Although the opera was initially cooly received, it quickly overtook a rival La bohème by Leoncavallo and developed into one of the most popular operas of all time. Sibley has all four versions of Puccini’s La bohème. Most of the composer’s significant changes occurred in act two, and he made most of these these between publication of the second and third versions. Puccini also added a few measures in acts three and four in later versions.


PUBLICATION TITLE La bohème (scene da La vie de bohème di Henry Murger) La bohème Title Page 126 kB
VERSION First version (inscribed dedication to the Marchese Carlo Ginori-Lisci)
TYPE Italian piano and vocal score
EDITION Riduzione di Carlo Carignani
PUBLISHER G. Ricordi & C.
DATE 1896
PLATE NUMBER 99000
RICORDI STAMP [blank]1896
VOLUME 269 pp.
HOPKINSON NUMBER 4A
GIFT OF John F. Flagg
NOTES The score bears a decoration of pressed flowers and an inscription from Rome, 23 March 1896, from one Canubbio [?] thanking Luisa B. Cluett for her interpretation.


PUBLICATION TITLE The Bohemians (founded upon “La vie de bohème” by Henry Murger) La bohème Title Page 145 kB
VERSION Second version
TYPE Second English piano and vocal score
EDITION English version. Acts one and two by William Grist, acts three and four by Percy Pinkerton. Arranged by Carlo Carignani.
PUBLISHER G. Ricordi & C.
DATE 1898
PLATE NUMBER 100357
RICORDI STAMP 10.1897
VOLUME 204 pp.
HOPKINSON NUMBER 4B
NOTES Includes a tipped-in program of La bohème from the Chicago Auditorium, 13 February 1899.


PUBLICATION TITLE La bohème La bohème Title Page 173 kB
VERSION Third version
TYPE French piano and vocal score
EDITION Version Française de Paul Ferrier. Arrangement de C. Carignani.
PUBLISHER G. Ricordi & C.
DATE 1898
PLATE NUMBER 101800
RICORDI STAMP Illegible
VOLUME 283 pp.
HOPKINSON NUMBER 4C (a)
NOTES This edition includes the cast of performers for the Théâtre de l’opéra-comique under the direction of Albert Carré. The score was used by a performer singing the role of Marcello, whose part is heavily marked.


PUBLICATION TITLE La bohème La bohème Title Page 183 kB
VERSION Fourth version
TYPE Italian piano and vocal score
EDITION “Nuova edizione.” Variant of fourth version.
PUBLISHER G. Ricordi & C.
DATE 1898
PLATE NUMBER 99000
RICORDI STAMP 3.1923
VOLUME 283 pp.
HOPKINSON NUMBER 4D (unlisted variant)
GIFT OF John F. Flagg
NOTE This score is a variant with the musical text of the fourth version and plate number of the first version.


PUBLICATION TITLE La bohème La bohème Title Page 169 kB
VERSION Fourth version
TYPE Italian piano and vocal score
EDITION “New edition.” Riduzione di Carlo Carignani
PUBLISHER G. Ricordi & C.
DATE 1898
PLATE NUMBER 100357
RICORDI STAMP 3.1923
VOLUME 277 pp.
HOPKINSON NUMBER 4D (a)


PUBLICATION TITLE La bohème La bohème Title Page 152 kB
VERSION Fourth version
TYPE English and Italian vocal score
EDITION English-Italian edition
PUBLISHER Ricordi, London
DATE 1917
PLATE NUMBER 115494
RICORDI STAMP None
HOPKINSON NUMBER 4D (h)
NOTES This score was originally the property of the Covent Garden Opera Trust and was used by the stage manager for productions at that theater in 1956. The score was rebound with blank pages for the stage manager’s notes, a common practice for theatrical productions of operas and musicals. The extensive production notes include property lists, staging diagrams, and notes on scenery.


PUBLICATION TITLE La bohème La bohème Title Page 291 kB
VERSION Fourth version
TYPE Full orchestral score
EDITION Folio edition
PUBLISHER G. Ricordi & Co.
DATE 1898
PLATE NUMBER 99010
RICORDI STAMP None
VOLUME 274 pp. (In four volumes, numbered consecutively)
HOPKINSON NUMBER 4D (m), possible variant
GIFT OF John F. Flagg
NOTES These four volumes contain no title pages. The foot of the first page of music reads “(Nuova Edizione) copyright 1898” above “copyright 1896.” The score contains conductors markings in pencil with rehearsal indications in French.


PUBLICATION TITLE La bohème La bohème Title Page 169 kB
VERSION Fourth version
TYPE Full orchestral score
EDITION Quarto edition
PUBLISHER G. Ricordi & Co.
DATE 1920
PLATE NUMBER 115561
VOLUME 408 pp.
HOPKINSON NUMBER 4D (n)

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