La Bohème: Free Audiobook and Listening Guide

La Bohème, credited to Giuseppe Giacosa; Luigi Illica, is available as a LibriVox volunteer audiobook. This guide identifies the recording, its source summary and its audio tracks.

About the work

The LibriVox catalogue summary, preserved with the recording, reads:

LibriVox recording of La Bohème by Giuseppe Giacosa; Luigi Illica. (Translated by William Grist; Percy Edward Pinkerton.) Read in English by LibriVox Volunteers. In 1830s Paris, four struggling Bohemian artists: the poet Rodolfo, the painter Marcello, the musician Schaunard, and the philosopher Colline, live poorly, but happily. On Christmas Eve, to celebrate, the four split the month's rent and decide to go out drinking in the Latin Quarter. Rodolfo stays behind to finish a poem, when their frail neighbor, Mimi, knocks on the door. An equally poor seamstress, she begs him to light her candle. In an instant, his candle goes out as well, and Mimi drops her key in the dark. As they search for it, they fall in love. And thus, a tragic love begins, as tuberculosis threatens to tear Mimi away from person and people she has come to love. Originally written in Italian, but translated into English, this libretto is the base for one of Giacomo Puccini's most beloved and often performed operas. It is also the inspiration of the famous 1994 rock musical and 2005 movie Rent by Jonathan Larson. This recording is a dramatic reading. Summary by Mary Kay. Cast List: Narrator: Kalynda Rudolph: Tomas Peter Schaunard: alanmapstone Benoit: Donald Gilmore Mimi: Lydia and Linda Olsen Fitak Marcel: ToddHW Colline & Sargant: Nemo Musetta: Eva Davis Parpignol: Joseph Tabler Alcindoro de Mitonneaux: Jason in Panama Customs House Official: Algy Pug Chorus Members: Donald Gilmore, Leanne Yau, Grace Keller Scotch, Algy Pug, MaryAnn, Kieren Metts and Nemo. Editors: Linny, Devorah Allen and Eva Davis Prooflisteners: afutterer and NemoR

Recording facts

• Recording title: La Bohème
• Author credits: Giuseppe Giacosa; Luigi Illica
• Language: English
• Original MP3 tracks: 5
• Listed recording duration: 1:33:20

Catalogue topics

• French
• relationships
• romance
• death
• Christmas
• love
• holiday
• paris

Track guide

1. 00 - Dramatis Personae — 7:49
2. 01 - Act I — 26:39
3. 02 - Act II — 22:49
4. 03 - Act III — 15:12
5. 04 - Act IV — 20:51

Listen to this recording

Open the complete recording and player on Internet Archive. The player includes the full track list and available download formats.

Source and rights

This is a record from LibriVox's official Internet Archive collection, with a public-domain licence recorded in its metadata. LibriVox's policy includes its catalogue summaries as well as its recordings. Its public-domain assessment follows United States law; copyright status can differ elsewhere. The summary and track facts are reproduced and reformatted from that record. Dates attached to the archive upload are not treated as original book publication dates.