“La bohème” by Giacomo Puccini libretto (English)

Contents: Roles; Act One; Act Two; Act Three; Act Four

Translation: William Fense Weaver © Capitol Records, Inc., 1952

ACT ONE

A garret

(A large window through which an expanse of snow-
covered roofs is seen. At right, a stove. A table, a bed,
four chairs, a painter's easel with a half-finished
canvas: books everywhere, manuscripts. Rodolfo is
thoughtful, looking out the window. Marcello works at
his painting "The Crossing of the Red Sea", his hands
stiff with cold; he tries to warm them by blowing on
them now and again.)

MARCELLO
This Red Sea of mine
makes me feel cold and numb
as if it were pouring over me.
I'll drown a Pharaoh in revenge.
(to Rodolfo)
What are you doing?

RODOLFO
I'm looking at Paris,
seeing the skies grey with smoke
from a thousand chimneys,
and I think of that no-good,
hateful stove of ours that lives
a gentleman's life of idleness.

MARCELLO
It's been a long time
since he received his just income.

RODOLFO
What are those stupid forests
doing, all covered with snow?

MARCELLO
Rodolfo, I want to tell you
a profound thought I've had:
I'm cold as hell.

RODOLFO
As for me, Marcello, I'll be frank:
I'm not exactly sweating.

MARCELLO
And my fingers are frozen -
as if I still were holding them
in that enormous glacier,
Musetta's heart.
(A sigh escapes him, and he leaves off painting.)

RODOLFO
Love is a stove that burns too much...

MARCELLO
Too fast.

RODOLFO
Where the man is the fuel...

MARCELLO
And woman the spark...

RODOLFO
He burns in a moment...

MARCELLO
And she stands by, watching!

RODOLFO
Meanwhile, we're freezing in here!

MARCELLO
And dying from lack of food!

RODOLFO
We must have a fire...

MARCELLO
(seizing a chair)
Wait...we'll sacrifice the chair!
(Rodolfo keeps Marcello from breaking the chair.
Suddenly he shouts with joy.)

RODOLFO
Eureka!

MARCELLO
You've found it?

RODOLFO
Yes. Sharpen your wits.
Let Thought burst into flame.

MARCELLO
(pointing to his picture)
Shall we burn the Red Sea?

RODOLFO
No. Painted canvas smells.
My play...
My burning drama will warm us.

MARCELLO
You mean to read it? I'll freeze.

RODOLFO
No, the paper will unfold in ash
and genius soar back to its heaven.
A serious loss to the age...
Rome is in danger...

MARCELLO
What a noble heart!

RODOLFO
Here, take the first act!

MARCELLO
Here.

RODOLFO
Tear it up.

MARCELLO
Light it.
(Rodolfo lights the part of the manuscript thrown in
the fire. Then the two friends draw up chairs and sit
down, voluptuously warming themselves.)

RODOLFO and MARCELLO
What blissful heat!
(The door opens and Colline enters, frozen, stamping
his feet. He throws some books on the table.)

COLLINE
Signs of the Apocalypse begin to appear.
No pawning allowed on Christmas Eve.
(surprised)
A fire!

RODOLFO
Quiet, my play's being given...

MARCELLO
...to the stove.

COLLINE
I find it sparkling.

RODOLFO
Brilliant.

MARCELLO
But brief.

RODOLFO
Brevity, its great merit.

COLLINE
Your chair, please, Mr Author.

MARCELLO
These intermissions
bore you to death.
Get on with it!

RODOLFO
Act Two.

MARCELLO
No whispering.

COLLINE
What profundity!

MARCELLO
How colourful!

RODOLFO
In that dying blue flame
an ardent love-scene dies.

COLLINE
See that page crackle.

MARCELLO
There were the kisses!

RODOLFO
I want to hear three acts at once.
(He throws the rest of the manuscript on the fire.)

COLLINE
And so unified is your bold conception.

ALL
Beautiful death in the joyful flame.
(The flame dies.)

MARCELLO
Oh Lord! The flame is dying.

COLLINE
So useless, so fragile a drama!

MARCELLO
Already curling up to die.

COLLINE and MARCELLO
Down with the author!
(Two porters come in, one carrying food, bottles of wine
and cigars; the other has a bundle of wood. At the
sound, the three men in front of the fire turn around
and with shouts of amazement fall upon the
provisions.)

RODOLFO
Wood!

MARCELLO
Cigars!

COLLINE
Bordeaux!

RODOLFO
Firewood!

MARCELLO
Bordeaux!

ALL THREE
Destiny provides us
with a feast of plenty!
(The porters leave. Schaunard enters triumphantly,
throwing some coins on the floor.)

SCHAUNARD
The Bank of France
has gone broke just for you.

COLLINE
(gathering up coins, with the others)
Pick them up!

MARCELLO
They must be made of tin!...

SCHAUNARD
Are you deaf? or blind?
(showing a crown)
Who is this man?

RODOLFO
Louis Philippe!
I bow to my King!

ALL
Louis Philippe is at our feet!
(Schaunard wants to tell his adventure, but the others
won't listen to him. They set the provisions on the table
and put wood in the stove.)

SCHAUNARD
Now I'll tell you: this gold,
this silver, rather,
has a noble history...

RODOLFO
Let's fire the stove!

COLLINE
It's hard to endure so much cold!

SCHAUNARD
An Englishman... a gentleman...
A lord...was looking for
a musician...

MARCELLO
Come! Let's set the table!

SCHAUNARD
And I? I flew to him...

RODOLFO
Where are the matches?

COLLINE
There.

MARCELLO
Here.

SCHAUNARD
... I introduce myself.
He hires me. I ask him...

COLLINE
Cold roast beef.

MARCELLO
Sweet pastry.

SCHAUNARD
When do the lessons begin?...
I introduce myself, he hires me,
I ask: When do the lessons begin?
He replies: "Let's start...
look!" and points to a parrot
on the first floor.
Then adds: "You play
until that bird dies!"

RODOLFO
The dining room's brilliant!

MARCELLO
Now the candles.

SCHAUNARD
And so it went:
I played for three long days...
Then I used my charm,
my handsome figure...
I won the serving-girl over...
We poisoned a little parsley...

MARCELLO
Eat without a tablecloth?

RODOLFO
No! I've an idea.
(He takes a newspaper from his pocket.)

MARCELLO and COLLINE
The Constitutional!

RODOLFO
Excellent paper...
You eat and devour the news!

SCHAUNARD
Lorito spread his wings,
Lorito opened his beak,
took a peck of parsley,
and died like Socrates!

COLLINE
(to Schaunard)
Who?

SCHAUNARD
Go to the devil, all of you...
Now what are you doing?
No! These delicacies
are the provender
for the dark and gloomy
days in the future.
Dine at home on Christmas Eve
when the Latin Quarter
has decked its streets with eatables?
When the perfume of fritters
is wafted through the ancient streets?
There the girls sing happily...

ALL
It's Christmas Eve!

SCHAUNARD
And each has a student echoing her!
Have some religion, gentlemen:
we drink at home, but we dine out.
(They pour the wine. A knock at the door.)

BENOIT
(outside)
May I come in?

MARCELLO
Who's there?

BENOIT
Benoit.

MARCELLO
The landlord!

SCHAUNARD
Bolt the door.

COLLINE
Nobody's home.

SCHAUNARD
It's locked.

BENOIT
Just one word.

SCHAUNARD
(after consulting the others, opens the door)
Just one!
(Benoit enters.)

BENOIT
(showing a paper)
Rent.

MARCELLO
Here! Give him a chair.

RODOLFO
At once.

BENOIT
Don't bother, I'd like...

SCHAUNARD
Be seated.

MARCELLO
Something to drink?

BENOIT
Thank you.

RODOLFO and COLLINE
A toast.

SCHAUNARD
Drink.
(Benoit sets down his glass and shows the paper to
Marcello.)

BENOIT
This is the bill
for three months' rent...

MARCELLO
That's fine...

BENOIT
Therefore...

SCHAUNARD
Another drop.

BENOIT
Thank you.

THE FOUR
A toast. To your health!

BENOIT
(to Marcello again)
I come to you
because last quarter
you promised me...

MARCELLO
I promised and I'll pay.
(He points to the money on the table.)

RODOLFO
(aside to Marcello)
What are you doing?

SCHAUNARD
Are you crazy?

MARCELLO
(to Benoit, ignoring the others)
You see? Now then
stay with us a moment.
Tell me: how old are you,
dear Monsieur Benoit?

BENOIT
My age?...Spare me!

RODOLFO
Our age, more or less, I'd say.

BENOIT
More, much more.
(They refill his glass.)

COLLINE
He said more or less.

MARCELLO
The other evening at Mabille
they caught him making love.

BENOIT
Me?

MARCELLO
They caught him at Mabille the other evening...
Deny it, then.

BENOIT
An accident.

MARCELLO
A lovely woman!

BENOIT
(half-drunk)
Ah! Very!

SCHAUNARD, then RODOLFO
You rascal!

COLLINE
Seducer!
He's an oak, a ball of fire!

RODOLFO
He's a man of taste.

MARCELLO
With that curly, tawny hair.
How he swaggered, proud and happy!

BENOIT
I'm old but strong.

COLLINE, SCHAUNARD and RODOLFO
How he swaggered, proud and happy!

MARCELLO
Feminine virtue
gave in to him.

BENOIT
I'm paying myself back now
for my shy youth...
my pastime, you know,

a lively woman... a bit...
well, not a whale exactly
or a relief-map of the world
or a face like a full moon,
but not thin, really thin. No!
Thin women are worrisome
and often... a nuisance...
always full of complaints,
for example...
...my wife!
(Marcello rises, feigning moral indignation. The others
do the same.)

MARCELLO
This man has a wife
and foul desires in his heart!

THE OTHERS
Horrors!

RODOLFO
He corrupts and pollutes
our respectable home.

THE OTHERS
Out with him!

MARCELLO
Burn some incense!

COLLINE
Throw out the scoundrel!

SCHAUNARD
Our offended morality expels you!

BENOIT
I say...I...

THE OTHERS
Silence!

BENOIT
My dear sirs...

THE OTHERS
Silence...Out, sir...
Away with you! And good evening
to your worship! Ha! Ha! Ha!
(Benoit is thrown out. Marcello shuts the door.)

MARCELLO
I've paid the rent.

SCHAUNARD
In the Latin Quarter Momus awaits us.

MARCELLO
Long life to him who pays!

SCHAUNARD
We'll divide my loot!

THE OTHERS
Let's divide!
(They share the coins.)

MARCELLO
(giving Colline a mirror)
Beauties are there, come from above.
Now you're rich, you must look presentable.
You bear! Trim your fur.

COLLINE
I'll make my first acquaintance
of a beard-trimmer.
Lead me to the absurd,
outrageous razor.

ALL
Let's go.

RODOLFO
I must stay to finish
my article for
The Beaver.

MARCELLO
Hurry, then!

RODOLFO
Five minutes. I know my trade.

COLLINE
We'll wait for you downstairs.

MARCELLO
You'll hear from us if you dawdle.

RODOLFO
Five minutes.

SCHAUNARD
Cut that Beaver's tail short.
(Rodolfo takes a light and opens the door. The others
start down the stairs.)

MARCELLO
(outside)
Watch the stairs.
Hold on to the railing.

RODOLFO
(raising the light)
Careful.

COLLINE
It's pitch dark.

SCHAUNARD
That damn janitor!

COLLINE
Hell!

RODOLFO
Colline, are you killed?

COLLINE
(from below)
Not yet.

MARCELLO
Come soon.
(Rodolfo closes the door, sets his light on the table and
tries to write. But he tears up the paper and throws the
pen down.)

RODOLFO
I'm not in the mood.
(There's a timid knock at the door.)
Who's there?

MIMÌ
(outside)
Excuse me.

RODOLFO
A woman!

MIMÌ
I'm sorry...my light
has gone out.

RODOLFO
(opening the door)
Here.

MIMÌ
(in the doorway, holding a candlestick and a key)
Would you... ?

RODOLFO
Come in for a moment.

MIMÌ
There's no need.

RODOLFO
Please...come in.
(Mimì enters, and has trouble breathing.)
You're not well?

MIMÌ
No...it's nothing.

RODOLFO
You're pale!

MIMÌ
I'm out of breath...the stairs...
(She faints, and Rodolfo is just in time to support her
and help her to a chair. The key and the candlestick fall
from her hands.)

RODOLFO
Now what shall I do?
(He gets some water and sprinkles her face.)
So.
How ill she looks!
(Mimì comes to.)
Are you better now?

MIMÌ
Yes.

RODOLFO
It's so cold here. Come and sit
by the fire.
(He helps her to a chair by the stove.)
Wait...some wine.

MIMÌ
Thank you.

RODOLFO
Here.

MIMÌ
Just a little.

RODOLFO
There.

MIMÌ
Thank you.

RODOLFO
(What a lovely creature!)

MIMÌ
(rising)
Now, please,
relight my candle.
I'm better now.

RODOLFO
Such a hurry!

MIMÌ
Yes.
(Rodolfo lights her candle for her.)
Thank you. Good evening.

RODOLFO
Good evening.
(Mimì goes out, then reappears at the door.)

MIMÌ
Oh! foolish me!
Where have I left
the key to my room?

RODOLFO
Don't stand in the doorway:
the wind makes your light flicker.
(Her candle goes out.)

MIMÌ
Heavens! Will you relight it?
(Rodolfo hastens to her with his light, but when he
reaches the door, his candle goes out, too. The room is
dark.)

RODOLFO
There...Now mine's out, too.

MIMÌ
Ah! And where can my key be?

RODOLFO
Pitch dark!

MIMÌ
Unlucky me!

RODOLFO
Where can it be?

MIMÌ
You've a bothersome neighbour...

RODOLFO
Not at all.

MIMÌ
You've a bothersome neighbour...

RODOLFO
What do you mean? Not at all!

MIMÌ
Search.

RODOLFO
I'm searching.
(They hunt, touching the floor with their hands.)

MIMÌ
Where can it be?

RODOLFO
Ah!
(He finds the key and pockets it.)

MIMÌ
Did you find it?

RODOLFO
No.

MIMÌ
I thought...

RODOLFO
Truthfully!

MIMÌ
Are you looking for it?

RODOLFO
Yes, I am.
(Guided by her voice, Rodolfo pretends to search as he
draws closer to her. Then his hand meets hers, and he
holds it.)

MIMÌ
(surprised)
Ah!
(They rise. Rodolfo continues to hold Mimì's hand.)

RODOLFO
How cold your little hand is!
Let me warm it for you.
What's the use of searching?
We'll never find it in the dark.
But luckily
there's a moon,
and she's our neighbour here.
Just wait, my dear young lady,
and meanwhile I'll tell you
in a word who and what I am.
Shall I?
(Mimì is silent.)
Who am I? I'm a poet.
My business? Writing.
How do I live? I live.
In my happy poverty
I squander like a prince
my poems and songs of love.
In hopes and dreams
and castles-in-the-air,
I'm a millionaire in spirit.

But sometimes my strong-box
is robbed of all its jewels
by two thieves: a pair of pretty eyes.
They came in now with you
and all my lovely dreams,
my dreams of the past,
were soon stolen away.
But the theft doesn't upset me,
since the empty place was filled
with hope.
Now that you know me,
it's your turn to speak.
Who are you? Will you tell me?

MIMÌ
Yes.
They call me Mimì,
but my real name's Lucia.
My story is brief.
I embroider silk and satin
at home or outside.
I'm tranquil and happy,
and my pastime
is making lilies and roses.
I love all things
that have gentle magic,
that talk of love, of spring,
that talk of dreams and fancies -
the things called poetry...
Do you understand me?

RODOLFO
Yes.

MIMÌ
They call me Mimì -
I don't know why.
I live all by myself
and I eat alone.
I don't often go to church,
but I like to pray.
I stay all alone
in my tiny white room,
I look at the roofs and the sky.
But when spring comes
the sun's first rays are mine.
April's first kiss is mine, is mine!
The sun's first rays are mine!
A rose blossoms in my vase,
I breathe its perfume, petal by petal.
So sweet is the flower's perfume.
But the flowers I make, alas,
the flowers I make, alas,
alas, have no scent.
What else can I say?
I'm your neighbour, disturbing you
at this impossible hour.

SCHAUNARD
(from below)
Hey! Rodolfo!

COLLINE
Rodolfo!

MARCELLO
Hey! Can't you hear?
You slow-coach!

COLLINE
You scribbler!

SCHAUNARD
To hell with that lazy one!
(Rodolfo, impatient, goes to the window to answer.
When the window is opened, the moonlight comes in,
lighting up the room.)

RODOLFO
I've a few more words to write.

MIMÌ
Who are they?

RODOLFO
Friends.

SCHAUNARD
You'll hear about this.

MARCELLO
What are you doing there alone?

RODOLFO
I'm not alone. There's two of us.
Go to Momus and get a table.
We'll be there soon.

MARCELLO, SCHAUNARD and COLLINE
Momus, Momus, Momus.
Quietly, discreetly, we're off.
Momus, Momus.

He's found his poem at last.
(Turning, Rodolfo sees Mimì wrapped in a halo of
moonlight. He contemplates her, in ecstasy.)

RODOLFO
Oh! lovely girl! Oh, sweet face
bathed in the soft moonlight.
I see in you the dream
I'd dream forever!

MIMÌ
(Ah! Love, you rule alone!...)

RODOLFO
Already I taste in spirit
the heights of tenderness!

MIMÌ
(You rule alone, o Love!)

RODOLFO
Already I taste in spirit
the heights of tenderness!
Love trembles in our kiss!

MIMÌ
(How sweet his praises
enter my heart...
Love, you alone rule!)
(Rodolfo kisses her.)
No, please!

RODOLFO
You're mine!

MIMÌ
Your friends are waiting.

RODOLFO
You send me away already?

MIMÌ
I daren't say what I'd like...

RODOLFO
Tell me.

MIMÌ
If I came with you?

RODOLFO
What? Mimì!
It would be so fine to stay here.
Outside it's cold.

MIMÌ
I'd be near you!

RODOLFO
And when we come back?

MIMÌ
Who knows?

RODOLFO
Give me your arm, my dear...

MIMÌ
Your servant, sir...

RODOLFO
Tell me you love me!

MIMÌ
I love you.

RODOLFO and MIMÌ
(as they go out)
Beloved! My love! My love!

libretto by William Fense Weaver

Contents: Roles; Act One; Act Two; Act Three; Act Four