moothly. My favorite part of the opera would have to be the duet present in Act I, shared between the two main characters, Rodolfo and Mimi. To hear these two characters singing in unison was “music to my ears”. Mimi, the soprano, hit all her notes beautifully and seemed to run smoothly through her parts. Rodolfo, who represented a tenor, expressed emotion and great character. This piece was where I seemed to become engulfed in their early blossoming relationship. I became entranced in their vocals and at times I would replace my self with Mimi’s character. The orchestra and the singers flowed together in a way indescribable creating a level of great intimacy. I have always been extremely impressed with the human voice. I value it as one of the most treasured instruments. The main attraction for myself was the non-evident combined aria and recitative in the production. In most opera there is an aria, or overflow of melody following the recitative. This helps express the appropriate feelings needed for the audience to grasp the key aspects of the opera. Also, it helps bring the plot to a halt and the characters then are able to reflect upon what is occurring in the story. Puccini was much more concerned with his librettos and would rather use the same material in each of his acts. At the conclusion of many songs I caught myself wanting to stand to my feet and applaud and release my excited emotions. This is why I feel that the opera was performed brilliantly. Puccini also included verismo – realism – which created a more realistic portrayal throughout the opera. This aspect helped move the opera at a good pace and much important dialogue was expressed as well. Verismo was key in creating appropriate feelings from both the characters as well as the audience. Verismo also helped me relate better to the plot because it gave me that “true to life” feeling Puccino was looking for. W...
