Opera Out of Opera 2 concluded its remarkable journey in Salzburg on Friday, 8 March 2025, with a final staging of Puccini’s La bohème at the Mozarteum University. This culminating event was the result of two intensive weeks of collaboration and rehearsal, bringing together emerging singers and students from the various partner institutions in a shared artistic endeavor.
A notable highlight of the production was the evocative dance performance by Nina Serafine Bosshard, Jenny Szabo, and Daria Samoilenko, who embodied the mysterious figures known as the Parasites, adding layers of symbolic meaning to the narrative. The visual atmosphere of the opera was further enriched by scenography and costume designs crafted by students from both KHiO and Mozarteum, giving each act a unique and immersive aesthetic that enhanced the storytelling.
La bohème, composed by Giacomo Puccini with a libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa, remains a timeless masterpiece capturing the joys and sorrows of youthful love amidst poverty in 19th-century Paris. The opera centers on the tender relationship between Rodolfo, a poet, and Mimì, a delicate seamstress, whose brief but intense romance is shadowed by hardship and illness. Puccini’s emotive score masterfully conveys the beauty and fragility of life and love, continuing to resonate deeply with audiences worldwide.
This final Salzburg production embraced La bohème’s enduring themes while infusing them with fresh, contemporary energy through interdisciplinary collaboration. By integrating dance, innovative design, and the passion of young performers, the Mozarteum staging offered a vivid reimagining that honored the opera’s emotional core while inviting new perspectives and experiences for today’s audiences.
