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SAN FRANCISCO OPERA Education Materials LA BOHÈME Curriculum Connections

San Francisco Operaʼs Rossiniʼs LA BOHÈME Curriculum Connections California Content Standards Kindergarten through Grade 12

LANGUAGE ARTS WORD ANALYSIS, FLUENCY, AND VOCABULARY DEVELOPMENT

Phonics and Phonemic Awareness:

Letter Recognition: Name the letters in a word. Ex. Rodolfo = R-o-d-o-l-p-h-o.

Letter/Sound Association: Name the letters and the beginning and ending sound in a word. M-usett-a

Match and list words with the same beginning or ending sounds. Ex. Mimi and Musetta have the same beginning letter “M” and sound /m/; but end with different letters and ending sounds. Additional examples: Rodolfo, Marcello, Alcindoro.

Syllables: Count the syllables in a word. Ex.: Mar-cel-lo

Match and list words with the same number of syllables. Clap out syllables as beats. Ex.: 1 syllable 2 syllables 3 syllables bass = bass tenor = ten-or soprano = so-pra-no

Phoneme Substitution: Play with the beginning sounds to make silly words. What would a “boprano” sound like? (Also substitute middle and ending sounds.) Ex. soprano, boprano, toprano, koprano.

Phoneme Counting: How many sounds in a word? Ex. sing = 4

Phoneme Segmentation: Which sounds do you hear in a word? Ex. sing = s/i/n/g.

Reading Skills: Build skills using the subtitles on the video and related educator documents.

Concepts of Print: Sentence structure, punctuation, directionality.

Parts of speech: Noun, verb, adjective, adverb, prepositions.

Vocabulary Lists: Ex. La Bohème, Opera glossary, Music and Composition terms

Examine contrasting vocabulary.

Find words in La Bohème that are unfamiliar and find definitions and roots.

Find the definitions of words such as verismo, tuberculosis, consumption, Bohemian/gypsy, viscount.

Find analogies in La Bohème.

Examine vocabulary in source material texts: La Bohème libretto.

Opera vocabulary: soprano, mezzo-soprano, bass, contralto.

Visit the website flocabulary.com; create a similar rap for opera vocabulary.


Symbolism/Metaphors: Candle, Flame (burning bright, flickering, extinguished), Moon, Key, Shoes, Blanket, Muff

How do metaphors work? What are some other metaphors in the opera?

Nickname/alias – In the aria “Che gelida manina,” Mimi reveals that her real name is Lucia.

Reading Comprehension: Story Development (Whatʼs the beginning, middle and end?): Character desires and motivation; Cause and effect: What made this happen?

The sequencing of events, climax, and resolution.

Watch different versions of the opera on DVD; how do they differ and why?

Reflect on your viewing of the opera by sharing your questions about it with the other students.

Read: Opera source material: Source material for La Bohème, La Bohème libretto, letter from Puccini, biographies, etc.

Types of text: Poetry, fairy tale, song text, libretto, script for media arts, biography, etc.

Creative writing:

Interpret the story and create a new version. Create your own characters or change the operaʼs time period and setting. Ex. Rodolfo = blogger. Create your own characters that are missing from the opera.

Explore different genres of writing: poetry, song text, libretto, script for media arts, biography, autobiography, short story, historical novel, etc.

Explore literary devices such as the use of point of view, internal/external conflict, repetition of phrases and foreshadowing. CREATIVE WRITING

Reinterpret the story by creating a new version using your own characters, time period and setting.

Explore different genres of writing: poetry, song text, libretto, script for media arts, biography, autobiography, short story, historical novel, etc.

Explore literary devices such as the use of point of view, internal/external conflict, repetition of phrases and foreshadowing.

Analysis and Interpretation: Expository writing, critiques/reviews.

Persuasive Writing: Letter writing, copywriting: advertising, fundraising, press release.

Persuasive writing: create posters, advertisements for one of the characters.

Write about what you would do in Mimiʼs place, or in Musettaʼs place.

Write about what would happen to the characters if the story continued.

Set the story in a different time and place. Update the dialogue.

Pretend youʼre Rodolfo – write a journal/diary entry while living with Marcello, Colline and Schaunard, right after meeting Mimi for the first time.

Pretend youʼre Mimi – Write a letter to Rodolfo after he has treated you poorly.

How would you create a change of mood from comedy to tragedy? (ex.: In Act III, the men are playing around, when Mimi enters dying)


LITERARY RESPONSE AND ANALYSIS

Elements of a Story: Character, plot, setting, conflict.

Identify the following in the opera: Inciting incident; Rising action; Climax; Descending action

Outline what happens in Act I, II, III

Vocabulary: Reading for understanding using the subtitles on videos and related educator documents.

Genres: The story of La Bohème touches upon many genres: Love Story / Romance, Comedy, TragedyComedy: Farce, slapstick. Trace history of Commedia characters to current day.

Where do you see romance, comedy and tragedy in TV shows or films today?

The romance genre highlights the relations between men and women.

Themes:

Love and the complexity of the emotion: Love, Elation, Trust, Anger, Forgiveness, Anguish, Sorrow

Truth, Beauty, Hope and Virtue

Freedom – Bohemia, Identity, Selfishness, Artistic Expression, Time

Poverty, Illness, Death

Wealth & Power

Destiny / Fate

Symbolism/metaphors: Matching bracelets, fire and cinders

Why is La Bohème called La Bohème?

How is the metaphor of cinder used in this story?

The characters in the opera often express themselves using metaphor – Find 3 examples of the use of metaphor in the opera.

What does the candle in Act I symbolize? Are there other symbols in the opera?

Archetypes: Portrayal of wealth VS poor

Explore the different types of artists/bohemians in La Bohème. Identify examples of bohemian life in other time periods.

Which of these character types can be found in different stories? Mimi, Rodolfo, Musetta, Marcello, Alcindoro


Character Development:

Character Actions and Motives: Analyze the characters in the Opera. What motivates their actions? What are their main traits?

Love: romantic love vs. friendship, old love/new love, manipulation/games, jealousy

Desire: Power/wealth, Hunger

What does the Musetta value? Love or money?

A wide variety of human emotions and behaviors are displayed by the characters over the course of the opera (some are listed here). Who displays them and in what scene?

Explore the relationship growth/development between Mimi & Rodolfo and Musetta & Marcello

How do the men show character growth in accepting and caring for Mimi?

What traits do you see in these characters that help them persevere?

What character do you think most embodies the spirit of the bohemians?

In Act I, The Bohemians work together to deal with their poverty – what do their contributions tell us about each of the characters?

Who is Benoit? How do the Bohemians deal with him?

Compare and contrast Rodolfoʼs character with that of his roommates, Marcello, Colline and Schaunard. What does Rodolfo value as a person? What do the others value?

List some transformations or changes that the characters experience in the story. How do they respond to the changes? How do their characters change?

Alliteration: Recognize the similarities of sounds and rhythmic patterns in the libretto.

Find examples of alliteration in La Bohème.

Figurative Language: Simile, Metaphor, Hyperbole, Personification, Allegory: Language style and music reflects emotion of characters, and instrumental sounds or musical phrases can be used symbolize character.

Find two more examples of similes in the dialogue of the opera.

Play segments of the opera; students journal after listening to the segments.

Compare the format of the libretto to the format of the original book.

Students respond to a letter from Mimi asking them for advice.

Chart out the elements of the plot.

Read a synopsis of Act I; how would you complete this story?

What kind of genre does this story fit into?

Examine the relationships in the opera, i.e. between Mimi, Rodolfo and his friends, between Musetta, Marcello and Alcindoro. How do they interact? How do they feel about each other?

Watch a scene from the opera and list verbs that describe the action thatʼs happening.

Examine how conflicts escalate in the opera.

What are some emotions or feelings the characters exhibit in the story? How do you feel about how they act upon or express their emotions?

Examine the use of farce in the opera.


Who are the characters that drive the action in this opera?

Pick your favorite character in the opera and describe him/her. Write a letter from his/her point of view to another character.

Play a particular passage from the opera; list adjectives that the music makes you think of, instrumental and vocal.

Examine character development: do the characters grow beyond their expected roles?

Compare and contrast the behavior of the different characters in the opera.

How do the different characters speak? What does that say about their social status?

Explore the nuances of the characters in the opera.

How do the characters go about getting what they want in the opera?

WRITING STRATEGIES Poetry, romance, song text, libretto, script for media arts, biography, program, program article, synopsis, etc.

Letter writing, copywriting: advertising, fundraising, press release.

Analysis and Interpretation:

La Bohème production materials: artist biographies, program and program notes, synopsis, expository writing, critiques/reviews, etc.

Why is La Bohème one of the most performed operas of all time? What can we learn from this story about relationships and choices?

Compare and contrast the various cultural stories of La Bohème.

What elements of the opera are comedic and tragic? How is comic relief used in an opera with a serious storyline?

What is the symbolism of Rodolfoʼs burning his play in the fire?

What is a landlord? Why are they afraid of him? How do they win him over and ultimately get him to leave?

Did Mimi really lose her room key? Did Rodolfoʼs candle really blow out? Why are they using these excuses to spend time together?

Why is this opera set on Christmas Eve?

Why is Rodolfo happy that there is a full moon? What does the moon symbolize? What are the stages of the moon?

Rodolfo says he has the soul of a millionaire. What does he value?

Musetta has struck it rich. How did she get rich?

In Act II, why does Rodolfo want Mimi to leave him?

Mimi says she left the viscount, choosing to be with Rodolfo instead – What is a viscount? Why did Mimi choose to be with Rodolfo?


Persuasive Writing:

Write a “me” poem for each of the characters: begin the poem with “I am” and list the characteristics of each person in separate phrases.

Write parrot poems from the point of view of the characters. Parrot poems are conversational poems in which partners write each line in turn.

Writing exercise in which feelings are expressed like those in La Bohème arias.

Write a passage expressing several charactersʼ inner thoughts at the same time. Use stream of consciousness writing.

Write dialogue for two of the characters in the opera. Each character only says one line, but uses different inflections each time he/she says it.

Write stage directions for the scene when Mimi tells Rodolfo that they must part, or another scene of your choice.

Rewrite a scene from the opera, switching the genders of the characters. How does the scene change? Rewrite a scene, changing the ethnicities. How does it change?

Rewrite libretto using today as a setting. Use contemporary characters: Who would be Mimi today? Musetta?

Divide into small groups. Each group writes the story from the point of view of a different character.

There are many rhymes in Italian in the opera; write a rhyming couplet in another language.

Write passages describing how different characters in the opera move.

Write a “serenade by proxy” when one person pretends to be another.

Write a different ending for the opera.

Write or draw a deleted scene for the opera; a scene we hear about, but donʼt see.

Keep journals from the point of view of the characters during the events of the opera.

Write a letter from one character to another.

Create a storyboard of La Bohème produced in the style of a sitcom episode (Friends) or comic soap opera.

Scenes, letters, diary or blog pages can be written from a particular characterʼs point of view; make sure to take relationships between characters into account. Diary pages could focus on how characters convince themselves to do something — internal debate.

WRITTEN AND ORAL ENGLISH LANGUAGE CONVENTIONS Debates between characters. Deliver persuasive speeches, identify tactics used.

Write a monologue with two scenes based on the alternate points of view held by a single character.

Spelling: Spell the names of the characters in La Bohème.

Facial cues, expressions, gestures can sometimes amplify message being delivered, or can sometimes run contrary to meaning of words (subtext).

Watch different versions of the opera on DVD and write reviews. Read example reviews first.

Examine the structure of La Bohème; can you relate it to other stories youʼve read or seen that have the same character(s) in different stories?

La Bohème comes from a trilogy of plays; what are the other ones? Have any of those been made into operas?

Define climax. Define denouement. How are they used in La Bohème?


LISTENING AND SPEAKING Oral Speaking: Connection between the written words and oral interpretation (recitative and sung), the phrasing and musicality of speech.

Reflection: What did you see, think, hear and feel? Ex. Verbal & written responses to La Bohème.

Why do the characters talk to the audience?

Why do the characters reveal their thoughts to the audience throughout the opera?

The opera is filled with moments where the characters reflect and think – how does Rossini pair music and time with talking and silence.

Persuasive language: How do the men get away without paying rent?

How does Musetta convince Alcindoro to buy her new shoes? Is it persuasive language or action?

How does Rodolfo convince Mimi to stay with him?

Act out main events of the story, in tableaux or longer scenes. Improvise. Give small groups different scenes, and then act out in succession.

Write dialogue for two of the characters in the opera. Each character only says one line, but uses different inflections each time he/she says it.

Separate into small groups; each group researches and comes up with evidence for certain charactersʼ motivations, then defends them in a classroom debate.

Tell the story of La Bohème in your own words to other members of your class.

There is a lot of repetition in La Bohème; act out a scene with repetitive scenes, in which each character adds a new word to the phrase.

With their voices, the singers express the charactersʼ emotions. How would you express love, happiness, exasperation with your speaking voice?

Try reading some lines of recitative; how does it sound without the music? How does the music change it?

Conduct a debate between two characters in the opera.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Giacomo Puccini (composer): biographies, timelines of work.

Who wrote the libretto for Pucciniʼs La Bohème? (Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa) What is the story of La Bohèmeʼs composition? What other librettos did Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa write for Puccini? With other composers?

What was the initial reception of the opera?

La Bohème was based on Scènes de la vie de bohème by Henri Murger, a collection of stories about life in the Latin Quarter in Paris, published in 1851.


ACTIVITIES

Create a character sketch.

Create Readerʼs Theater of La Bohème.

Write your own collection of stories inspired by the “Bohemian” life in your school, neighborhood or city.

Interview characters in La Bohème; write a news story based on the interviews.

Create a news report about La Bohème using HyperStudio.

Write a Dear Abby letter from one of the characters in the opera, and Abbyʼs response.

Write a letter from one character to another, choosing a moment in the story to write about. Use the “Friendly Letter” format.

Using a letter from one character to another in the opera; edit the letter down to a tweet or Facebook post.

Write a fake twitter feed for Mimi or Rodolfo.

Play “Hot Seat”: one student acts as one of the characters from the story, and the other students ask him or her questions based on that character.

Write a prequel for the opera about one of the charactersʼ life.

Write a blog post from the point of view of one character.

Story writing: Adapt existing source material; create story/characters.

Libretto writing: Adapt La Bohème (existing source material) or create a new story/characters.

Create written copy: program, poster design, advertising, biography, etc.

Read and report on feature articles from the opera program about La Bohème.


San Francisco Operaʼs Pucciniʼs LA BOHÈME Curriculum Connections California Content Standards Kindergarten through Grade 12

MATHEMATICS

ATTRIBUTES

Comparisons in La Bohème

Sorting and Classifying: What characters belong together, which donʼt, and why? Ex: Mimi and Musetta are women, Rodolfo and Colline are men. Rodolfo, Marcello, Colline and Schaunard are artists.

MEASUREMENT

Use of Standard Units of Measurement in Story & Set Design.

2D & 3D Dimensions: Area, Perimeter, Volume, Scale, Proportion, Ratio.

• Create a set for La Bohème to scale. • Prepare a canvas (with measurements for the stretcher bars and canvas) for painting.

Weight: Physical, Metaphorical, Balance.

Time: Passage of time (real & theatrical time), times of day (morning, afternoon and night; yesterday, today, tomorrow; time of everyday events such as dinner & bed time), estimation, reading time, age of characters.

Research Pucciniʼs and the librettistʼs salaries for La Bohème. What is the proportion of one to another?

What currency was used during Pucciniʼs day? How much was it worth compared to todayʼs money?

How much would Rodolfo have made as a poet?

How much did the average artist make in Paris during this time? The average worker?

How much would the Bohemians have had to pay Benoit, their landlord, for their apartment?

If you were the Bohemians, how much would it have cost to stay in your apartment? Create a budget for the household, taking into account all expenses.

How much does it rent for an apartment in your neighborhood today? Create a monthly budget for your household, taking into account all expenses.

Estimate how many people are in large ensemble scenes. Taking into account all the people on stage, how much would such a scene cost, in Pucciniʼs time and now?

Count the number of people who need to be paid when putting on an opera; use cast and company listings in the program to calculate.

Compute the distance between Turin and Paris in kilometers and miles.


GEOMETRY

As found La Bohèmeʼs character, costume & set design.

Identification of Shapes, Repetition & Pattern, Rhythm & Symmetry.

Planes (Square, Rectangle, Triangle, Circle) & 3D (Cube, Pyramid, Sphere).

Positive & Negative Space, Interior & Exterior Space.

Calculate area of opera stages today vs. opera stages during Pucciniʼs time.

Calculate area of the Bohemianʼs apartment. What was the size of a typical apartment in Paris? What would have been the proportions of a room?

Create a scale model of The Bohemianʼs apartment; calculate the area of each square and the area of each room in the apartments building.

Build a scale model of the small square where Café Momus in the Latin Quarter. Take proportions into account.

NUMBER SENSE

Counting using the production elements and music of La Bohème.

Formulas & calculations: Addition, subtraction, multiplication, division.

More, less, or same as.

Concept of zero (absences, disappearances. Ex. rests/silence in music.

Ordering & sequencing.

Recognizing and creating numerical patterns. Ex. beats, ABA pattern in music.

Survey taking: tallying and graphing.

Predictions.

ACTIVITIES

The four main characters sing in a quartet at end of Act III. Detail the number of times characters sing in duets, trios and quartets in the opera.

Create a timeline of events in Paris, beginning with the arrival of The Bohemians, up to present day Paris.

Research remonetizing formula; how do economists determine how much money was worth then vs. now?

Calculate how many yards of canvas are used for a painting. How many pages are used in a poetry book?

Mimi is a seamstress. Design a dress or a cape for Mimi to sew. Create the pattern that Mimi would use to make the dress. How much fabric do you need?

Design the patterns for a bolt of fabric that would be used by Mimi to make a dress.

In order to put on La Bohème in the first season at SF Opera (premiered in San Francisco on September 26, 1923), how much did the company have to raise?



SCIENCE

The principals of science used in La Bohème.

THE FIVE SENSES:

Sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell.

In the final scene, Butterfly blindfolds Trouble. Try covering your eyes and listening to other students speak or sing. Is the experience different from when you listen, without being able to see?

What are senses involved in experiencing opera?

How do senses develop and decline as you get older?

The loss of what sense would most diminish experience of opera.

PARTS OF THE BODY:

Identification of body parts important to performing. Ex. Diaphragm, larynx, throat, mouth, etc.

Identification of body parts associated with hearing music, how ears work.

Identification of body parts associated with viewing opera, how eyes work.

Examine the science of men and women and psychological and physical differences.

How do you contract tuberculosis?

What part of the body is affected by tuberculosis?

How is tuberculosis treated?

What immunizations do we have now that did not exist back in the 1800s?

What materials keep you warmer than others? How much heat is preserved or do you lose when comparing your head, hand and other part of the body?

What is thermo regulation?

THE ELEMENTS

Fire, Water, Earth, Metal, Air, Wood.

Find references to the nature in the opera.

Study the four seasons. Weather elements – cold / snow


LIFE SCIENCE

They eat venison when they are out on Christmas Eve. What is venison?

Research the effects of poverty on health and well-being.

PHYSICS

Sound: Voice, Instruments, Acoustics, Amplification, Recording.

What is fire? What happens when a match is lit?

Learn about the properties of light, from candlelight and advent of electric lights

ACTIVITIES

Research the materials used in painting, historically and now.

Research the relationship between nature and artists.

List references to nature in La Bohème.

How are natural materials used in creating a painting or a book? How is paper made?

Examine pigments used in paint.

Make a useable bed from a stack of books.

Learn more about food science and how to determine the nutritional content of a meal.

Create a healthy meal on a budget.



SOCIAL STUDIES PERSONAL CONNECTIONS

Self-Identity.

Family: Immediate & Extended. Caring relationship between friends.

Roles of family members in your life and the choices you make.

What are the differences in family life in France and America?

Time: Past, Present, Future.

Place: Neighborhood, City, State, Continent, World, Universe.

CIVICS

Social Hierarchy: Class, Status. Ex. The weathy and The Bohemians. How is class indicated by the music, the costumes and other elements in La Bohème?

Types of Government: Republic (France) and Democracy (United States).

Religion: Ritual and symbols.

Political events during Pucciniʼs time.

Study the role of artists in society. The artist create change and set trends. How do artists influence how we see the world?

GEOGRAPHY

The Operaʼs setting: Where is this place? What is this culture?

Research Paris as a center of culture

Which neighborhoods are renowned as being areas of creativity in Paris?

Map the locations mentioned in the opera.

Examine where you live; how does your environment represent your lifestyle or personality?

Location of Pucciniʼs birth. Where else did he live?

Trace Pucciniʼs travels and draw a map of the different places where he lived.

Where is Turin, Italy and where is Paris, France? Map the route.


The characters in Bohème live in the Latin Quarter in Paris. Draw a map of Paris showing where the Latin Quarter is. Detail the twenty arrondissements (districts) on your map.

Why is the 5tharrondissement called the Latin Quarter? (only common language spoken in medieval time)

In the beginning of Act II, they sing that the street sweepers are from the Gentilly. Where is Gentilly? Map it. What is it distance from Paris? What was happening in Gentilly in the 1840ʼs What is happening there today?

HISTORY

Research when Puccini was born and the time period when Puccini lived. What are the differences and similarities between Pucciniʼs Europe and Europe today?

What is a libretto? Who wrote the libretto to Bohème? What were their life stories?

The libretto was based on a popular novel Scènes de la Vie de Bohème (Scenes of Bohemian Life), by Henri Murger. What was the origin of the stores in this novel? Was it a realistic portrayal of what was happening in Paris in the 1840ʼs?

Explore the life of Henri Murger and his life as a bohemian. Why is he considered a bohemian?

What other composer used the novelʼs story as the basis for his opera? What happened when Puccini and this composer became aware that the other was writing an opera on the same story at the same time? Which version is more popular today and why?

How was Pucciniʼs Bohème initially received? Is it popular today?

What does it mean to live a bohemian life? What was the origin of the use of the term and how has its use evolved?

Examine class system during Pucciniʼs time.

Research the development of La Bohème. Why would an artist be commissioned to write an opera? How do new operas get made today?

Research the initial reception of La Bohème, the play and the opera. Why did the opera initially fail and how was it revised?

Social structures and class relations

• Examine healthcare system of Paris during Mimiʼs time. • Learn about the currency used in the time of La Bohème. How did artists make enough money to pay

their rent? What is a patron? • Consider how poverty impacts the main characters? (No health care, no heat, inadequate food) • Who is the King whose face is on their coins that they throw down in Act I? (remember that the story is set

in Paris in the 1840ʼs) • In Act IV, Colline jokes that the King asked him to join his cabinet. What is the Kingʼs cabinet? Who would

have been in his cabinet at the time? What is the likelihood that Colline would actually get asked to join the Kingʼs cabinet?

The System and Laws

• Research owner / tenant relations. How would a rental agreement with The Bohèmians be binding? • Research artist culture. What is intellectual property? Learn more about the advent of copyright laws.

Women in La Bohème

• Research the roles for women in France. • What were ideals of beauty in France during the time of La Bohème, for both men and women? What

would have clothes looked like for upper and lower classes? • Compare and contrast artistic traditions in the United States and France.


History of Opera

• How Opera began, history of San Francisco Opera, history of the Adler Fellow Program. • Where was the first SF Opera production of La Bohème produced??

ACTIVITIES

Map settings in which play and opera take place.

Create timelines of events in opera; Pucciniʼs operas. What is the story of Pucciniʼs life? How many operas did he write? Which ones became famous?

Research the story of La Bohème. Was the story based on a real character?

What was happening in the world when the opera premiered in Turin, Italy 1896?

Create an organizational chart of the character relationships in La Bohème.

Research French fashion during the period of the opera. How does clothing indicate culture and status?

Pick another time period in which to set La Bohème. Research and design costumes and sets to reflect trends, society at that time.

Research the culture of the artists in Paris. What was their role in society? Who would be The Bohèmians of today? What kind of social background or class did The Bohèmians come from? What would have been Mimiʼs class, social status as a seamstress?

What were ideals of beauty France and America, for both men and women at the time of the opera? What would have clothes looked like for upper and lower classes, in France and America?

How might an artist like Rodolfo or a seamstress like Mimi received their education during that time?

What are the jobs of the characters in the opera? Examine jobs in Paris during the time of the opera.

Write a letter from one character to another using the writing materials used at the time of La Bohème (quill pens, wax seals, parchment).



PHYSICAL EDUCATION What dances could you do to music from the different scenes?

What kinds of dances would you use to represent different characters?

How do you move differently if you are a character from France or America?

MOVEMENT

Walking, dancing, jumping, balancing, leaping, lifting, etc. Ex. Move your body in different ways using the example of each character.

Research ritualized movement of geishas and Japanese theater traditions.

Act out how Mimi and Musetta would walk. What are the differences?

How would you move if you were excited making art? Sick with tuberulosis?

Practice dancing to music from the opera. What music selections lend themselves to dancing?

Choreograph dances for selected scenes in La Bohème.

PHYSICALITY OF PERFORMING

Endurance & strength, posture, breathing techniques.

Where does sound come from in our bodies?

What is stage combat? What are the skills needed for performers to engage in stage combat?

TEAM-BUILDING

Cooperative games encourage collaboration and build trust.

How do the bohemians stay positive? What kinds of activities do they engage in, separately and together?

Play number games, where students have to gather in groups of two, three, and so on. The object is to get together as quickly as possible. They can also be instructed to create pictures with their bodies, or move in unison.

Construct relays around relationships between characters or artistʼs chores.

Exercises to move together as a group. Building the ensemble.

Partner dancing, changing partners, partnering exercises, mirroring activities.



HEALTH EDUCATION The unifying ideas of health literacy are as follows:

• Acceptance of personal responsibility for lifelong health

• Respect for and promotion of the health of others

• An understanding of the process of growth and development

• Informed use of health-related information, products, and services

MENTAL & PHYSICAL HEALTH

Taking care of your body. Ex. What do performers have to do to prepare their body for performing?

Conflict resolution. Ex. How do the characters resolve all their problems with each other? How donʼt they?

Dealing with emotions, stress. Ex. Explore from the point of view of each character. Who did they talk to about their problems and emotions before the invention of psychology?

Family issues.

Examine the concept of parental responsibility; who takes on the role of the responsible parent(s) in the opera?

Gender roles & body image.

How do you deal with stress? How do you think The Bohemians and Mimi deal with the stress of poverty?

What do you do in an emergency when someone falls ill?

Whatʼs todayʼs equivalent of tuberculosis/consumption?

What is a communicable disease? What other communicable diseases are there?

What eventually kills Mimi? What would the normal treatment today be for someone with the disease? Is it prevalent today?

What threats to mental and physical health do The Bohemians face on a daily basis?

The characters drink throughout the opera. What are the effects of alcohol? What are the consequences of alcohol abuse?

What are the benefits of art making for stress relief and mental/physical health?


Having been born poor, a scholarship changed Pucciniʼs life. What is a scholarship? How does one get a scholarship?

Puccini was a perfectionist. What does that mean? How did it impact his operatic writing and his life? What are the positive and negative aspects of being a perfectionist?

The characters are smoking cigars in this opera. What are the effects of smoking on your health?

Mimi and Rodolfo fall in love at first sight. What is love at first sight?

Rodolfo says Mimi is flirting. What is flirting? What are the consequences of flirting?

The couples break up get back together and break up again. Is this common in romantic relationships?

Rodolfo is jealous of everyone Mimi is with. What is jealousy? Is it ever positive? What are the negative consequences?

Benoit doesnʼt like a skinny woman. Is being skinny popular today in the media? Is it healthy to be ultra thin? What diseases can result? How have ideals of beauty changed over time?



CAREER & TECHNICAL EDUCATION How did people get jobs in Pucciniʼs time? How would people do work differently in Pucciniʼs time? How would they be limited by available technology?

What were jobs available to women and men in France at the time of the opera? How is it different now?

What are the jobs of the characters in the opera? Examine the history artists coming to live in Paris; research “centers of creativity.” What are the places that would be considered creative centers in the United States

Assign jobs from the opera to students in the classroom. Who would be Rodolfo? Who would be Marcello? What would be the most coveted jobs? What would be the most important jobs? How are jobs different now from then?

Explore the different professions of The Bohemians.

Identify the different professions at Café Momus.

How would life as a poet, painter, philosopher and musician be different today when compared to the 1800s? Pick one of these professions. Do you think youʼd be able to teach yourself a skill with virtual instruction and learning online?

Research the careers of opera singers who have played the roles in La Bohème.

Explore backgrounds and training of people who work at the Opera.

Jobs at the Opera. Who are the professionals outside the opera who make the opera happen? Police, fire, caterers, etc.

Organizational chart of San Francisco Opera.



VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS

MUSIC

STORYTELLING & MUSIC: WHAT IS AN OPERA?

Character and plot development through musical themes. What is the difference between major and minor keys and how do changes between keys help tell the story?

How does orchestral music enhance what characters are singing? How does it act as another character?

How does music associated with a particular character enhance their class status?

How does Puccini use ensembles to tell the story?

Did Puccini add coded messages to the opera through the music?

How does music associated with a particular character enhance their class status?

What kinds of instruments does Puccini use in the opera to create a “Parisian” sound?

How do instruments represent characters? Identify repetition and variation of themes.

Key plot points: The composer and librettist determine the placement of arias within the libretto to heighten emotion in the story.

Source material for Opera: Novels (Pucciniʼs La Bohème, Tan & Wallaceʼs The Bonesetterʼs Daughter); Films (The Fly), Real-life events (Heggieʼs Dead Man Walking, Adamsʼ Nixon in China; Related genres – Musical Theater (Sweeney Todd, Rent, Miss Saigon), Rock Opera (Tommy), popular song versions of opera.

VOCABULARY

Musical Structure: Solos, duets, trios, choral numbers.

Musical Styles: Verismo, Romanticism.

Composition: Arias, recitative, overture, incidental music. Identify characters who have arias in the opera.

Musical Instructions: Tempo, legato; pianissimo; crescendo, waltz, etc.

Voice ranges: Soprano, mezzo-soprano, tenor, baritone, bass-baritone, countertenor, bass.

Research traditional instruments like a harpsichord that would have been used in Mozartʼs time.


BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Giacomo Puccini: Biography, timeline of works, signature sound within genres: symphonic works, string quartets, requiems, operas.

Research other musicians working before or at the same time as Puccini; how was he different from everyone else? What kinds of composers came after Puccini?

What were common topics of operas during Pucciniʼs time?

ACTIVITIES

Listen to multiple recordings of La Bohème and study different interpretations.

Learn and memorize songs from La Bohème.

Create and perform songs for the characters/events of La Bohème using instruments and voices.

Research instruments used in French music.

Graph out characters in the opera; while watching a clip of the opera, fill out chart describing look, movement, voice of each character. How does the director tell the story through these details?

VISUAL ARTS How are line, color, shape, and texture used in costumes and sets of La Bohème?

LINE

Use of line qualities: soft or hard, wavy or angular, spirals.

COLOR

Symbolism of color; color associated with particular characters.

The emotion of color. Ex. red=passionate, blue=calm, white=purity, yellow=cheerful.

Personal associations with color.

Revealing character traits through the use of color—how do the charactersʼ costumes, including fabrics and colors, reflect their status?

SHAPE

The use of shape in character design.

Positive & Negative Space—the stage is a frame.

TEXTURE

Texture: Material use in sets and costumes.

Visual Texture: Pattern and repetition in sets and costumes. How is texture used to convey status?

SPACE

Set design: From 2D plans to 3D construction.


LIGHT

The use of lighting to establish mood and setting.

Examine contrast of light and dark; use of lighting.

The use of lighting to establish mood and setting.

How does time of day affect the lighting and the mood on the stage?

How are shadows and shading used in the opera to convey meaning?

PRODUCTION DESIGN

Listen to the music and read the libretto prior to viewing the opera. Choose design elements based on the music and text.

Design paper dolls of characters. Dress them for different eras.

Design a production: dioramas, scale models, backdrops, props, costumes.

Design character make-up, costume, sets and props for classroom operas.

Study use of lighting in production design.

Study clothing of the time and setting for La Bohème. What materials would have been used?

ACTIVITIES

Create illustrations and storyboards outlining the plot of La Bohème.

Design a production: dioramas, scale models, backdrops, props, costumes.

Design character make-up, costume, sets and props for classroom operas.

Listen to audio-only examples prior to viewing the opera. Choose design elements based on the music and text.

Draw silhouettes of characters; draw characters in other styles, like anime.

Design fashionable dresses for Mimi the seamstress to make. What would Mimi wear while working?

Research Parisian fashion during the period of the opera.

Puppetry: Create your own version of La Bohème using puppets (paper bags, stick puppets, shadow puppets, marionettes, and bunraku).

Research traditional French cooking and artistic styles.

Create a poem, song or painting for the characters in the opera. Create your own literary magazine.

Look at French artists who have depicted of nature. Draw your own view of nature drawing upon artistic compositional conventions.

Design an apartment for The Bohemians.

Study historic Bohemian artists such as Gustave Courbet, Jean-Francois Millet, and William Makepeace Thackeray, as well as authors Henry Murger, Victor Hugo and Baudelaire. How have these artists influenced Western perspectives about Paris?

Study visual depictions of Bohemian life.

Create an advertisement for a performance of La Bohème.


RELATED WORKS OF ART

Illustrated childrenʼs books about artists, such as those featured in La Bohème and other operas.

Free-association drawing to music. Ex. Maurice Sendakʼs Fantasy Sketches.

Study the set designs for Jonathan Larsonʼs 1996 musical Rent, with the sets from La Bohème.

Study the work of visual artists who have designed performing arts productions: Gerald Scarfe, David Hockney, Julie Taymor, Marc Chagall, Maurice Sendak, Oskar Kokoschka, Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, William Kentridge, Gianni Versace, Bill Viola.

THEATRE STAGING

Stage vocabulary: Upstage, downstage, levels, blocking.

Theater Exercises: Tableaux, pantomime, improvisation, vocal projection.

Practice walking like Mimi and Musetta, Alcindoro or Marcello. How are their walks different?

Practice walking like a member of the opposite sex. How do you carry yourself differently?

How do directors make someone stand out in a crowd scene? (Musetta among chorus)

How do performers move onstage differently than offstage? How do they have to move so that the audience can translate their movements?

How do the performers act when theyʼre singing their thoughts vs. singing to each other?

Stage a crowd scene.

Create entrances and exits for different characters in opera; what would their music be?

Stage etiquette & audience behavior.

Opera Production Team: Director, stage manager, choreographer, designer, diction coach, choreographer, lighting, supernumeraries, etc.

In-House Personnel: Marketing, accounting, ticket takers, ushers etc.

ACTIVITIES

How do production artists make it snow? Create your own version of making it snow in a shoebox set!

If you were to update La Bohème, what time and period would you set it?


What other works of art are based on La Bohème?

Where else do you hear the music from La Bohème?

What famous painters have been inspired by La Bohème?

Research additional theatrical works with similar themes, such as the Jonathan Larson musical Rent or Baz Lurmanʼs film, Moulin Rouge.


DANCE

Dance and Creative Movement in Stage-Blocking. Ex: Café Momus scene.

What is a waltz? Why is it called Musettaʼs Waltz? What makes it a waltz?

In Act IV, the four men dance in different styles they describe as: Gavotte, Minuet, Fandango and Quadrille. Describe these dance styles and compare and contrast them. For an Activity, learn how to dance in these styles.

Research dances of Pucciniʼs time: wedding dances, promenades.

How is dance incorporated into the opera, into the music of the opera?

How is age, gender and nationality communicated through the way performers move in a dance?

How have modern choreographers used Pucciniʼs music?

What are the roles of choreographers, dance captains and dancers?

ACTIVITIES

Character Dances: Mirror dancing–partners and symmetry.

Match movement with vocabulary. Ex. glide, slither, leap, tremble.

Interpret emotions through dance. Ex. Joy, fear.

Interpreting the instruments through dance– improv to music.

Study European dances such as the waltz. Compare to contemporary American dances.

Choreograph a stage combat scene.

Choose a dance style that best represents each character. Ex. Mimi and Rodolfo.

MEDIA ARTS Watch DVD of La Bohème and other operas. Watch different productions and compare.

Watch selections from the 1926 film version of La Bohème directed by Frederic King Vidor.

Look at filmed versions of the La Bohème story, like the 2008 filmed version with Rolando Villazòn and Anna Netrebko and Rent.

Research how the music from Pucciniʼs La Bohème has been used in film and commercials, such as Moonstruck.

Research clips of La Bohème found on the Internet.

Research how innovations in technology have influenced the development of Opera: Acoustics and Lighting, Audio Recording, Film and Video, the development of Supertitles, Internet.

Learn about technology currently used by SF Opera: technology used in staging, SFOʼs Media Suite, podcasts, cinemacasts, simulcasts, opera vision, etc.


Learn about experiments in future technology use involving opera, such as the development of Personal Opera @ MIT Media Lab, Death and the Powers.

Use television, films, web content to teach media literacy.

How is opera advertised? Research San Francisco Operaʼs advertising and media efforts.

Opera & Popular Culture: Cartoons (Bugs Bunny in Whatʼs Opera, Doc?, The Rabbit of Seville); Television (Sesame Street); Movies (Pretty Woman); Commercials (Nikeʼs 1993 ad Charles Barkley of Seville); Event themes (Nessun Dorma - 1994 World Cup).


Films & DVD of La Bohème and other Puccini operas, related films

Opera Imaginaire, a collection of animated interpretations of twelve of operaʼs most popular arias, features “Un Bel Di”.

ACTIVITIES

Compare two different filmed versions of La Bohème; which visualization is more effective and why?

Film and Animation: Explore photographic stop motion techniques. Ex. Use digital media to create 1-minute scenes from La Bohème.

Create a poster to advertise a performance of La Bohème. What information needs to be included?

Use digital audio to record student readings, musical performances.

Create a 30-second audio spot, a one-minute podcast, and/or a La Bohème activities website.

Create a graphic treatment for the operaʼs title.

Create a fake blog or Facebook page for one of the characters.

Learn more about crowdsourced funding campaigns. Pretend youʼre Gaetano Merola and you want to start an opera company and premiere La Bohème in San Francisco, how would you pitch your Kickstarter campaign?

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