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Bohème Out of The Box

Performances running March 10 – April 2, 2023

Bohème Out of the Box

Thank you to everyone who came out to experience Bohème Out of the Box ! 
Consider donating an amount of any size to help us provide opera experiences to our community. 

Overview

Overview

Locations Photos Events Synopsis Cast

San Francisco Opera is taking opera out of the Opera House for Bohème Out of the Box. These free, live performances of an abridged version of Giacomo Puccini’s La Bohème will travel to outdoor locations throughout the Bay Area this spring. The very first opera to be presented by San Francisco Opera 100 years ago, Puccini’s popular work of love and loss among a group of bohemian artists will be performed in an intimate one-hour version on a converted shipping-container-turned-mobile opera stage.

Directed by Jose Maria Condemi, Bohème Out of the Box, sung in Italian and featuring English dialogue, will be performed by guest artists and San Francisco Opera’s Adler Fellows with piano accompaniment. These free performances bring La Bohème’s powerful emotions and soaring arias to Bay Area communities as part of the Company’s Centennial Season.

Pre-Opera Talks
Join us in front of the stage forty-five minutes before show time at Friday and Saturday evening performances for an in-depth lecture with scholars from San Francisco Opera. Whether you’re new to opera or a huge fan of Bohème, our Pre-Opera Talks are designed to guide you through key points of the story, the music and the passion that only opera can deliver. In this case, delivered right out of a box!

First Act Workshops
Families with young children are invited to join us forty-five minutes before showtime at Sunday matinées for an imaginary trip to Cafe Momus, a lively cafe in Paris and the setting of Act Two of La Bohème. We’ll discover a group of artists that gather there and are the main characters in this classic opera. Bring along your favorite stuffed-animal friend and dance to “Musetta’s Waltz,” one of the most famous and beloved melodies in all of opera. Located very close to the stage, we’ll have you back to your spot just in time for the show!

Overview

San Francisco Opera is taking opera out of the Opera House for Bohème Out of the Box. These free, live performances of an abridged version of Giacomo Puccini’s La Bohème will travel to outdoor locations throughout the Bay Area this spring. The very first opera to be presented by San Francisco Opera 100 years ago, Puccini’s popular work of love and loss among a group of bohemian artists will be performed in an intimate one-hour version on a converted shipping-container-turned-mobile opera stage.

Directed by Jose Maria Condemi, Bohème Out of the Box, sung in Italian and featuring English dialogue, will be performed by guest artists and San Francisco Opera’s Adler Fellows with piano accompaniment. These free performances bring La Bohème’s powerful emotions and soaring arias to Bay Area communities as part of the Company’s Centennial Season.

Pre-Opera Talks
Join us in front of the stage forty-five minutes before show time at Friday and Saturday evening performances for an in-depth lecture with scholars from San Francisco Opera. Whether you’re new to opera or a huge fan of Bohème, our Pre-Opera Talks are designed to guide you through key points of the story, the music and the passion that only opera can deliver. In this case, delivered right out of a box!

First Act Workshops
Families with young children are invited to join us forty-five minutes before showtime at Sunday matinées for an imaginary trip to Cafe Momus, a lively cafe in Paris and the setting of Act Two of La Bohème. We’ll discover a group of artists that gather there and are the main characters in this classic opera. Bring along your favorite stuffed-animal friend and dance to “Musetta’s Waltz,” one of the most famous and beloved melodies in all of opera. Located very close to the stage, we’ll have you back to your spot just in time for the show!

 

Locations and Dates

Each weekend from March 10th to April 2nd, Bohème Out of the Box will travel to a new outdoor venue around the greater Bay Area, sharing opera in an intimate and powerful new way with local communities free of charge. Each stop will offer a unique setting to gather and experience the power of this timeless tale on an innovative mobile stage.

Bohème Out of the Box runs approximately one hour with no intermission, and features piano accompaniment.  Performed in Italian with English dialogue.  There are no supertitles, but a synopsis and translation of the sung text is available below in English and Spanish.

Please note registration does not guarantee seating location (nor admission in the event venue capacity is reached), as these events are free and open to all. Admission and seating/placement are available on a first come, first served basis, so we encourage you to arrive early and get a great spot!


In the event of rain, performances may be cancelled to protect the safety of the artists, crew members and patrons. Check back here and follow us on Instagram and Facebook @sfopera for the latest updates on weather delays and cancellations.

 

Synopsis & Translations

Synopses and librettos for Bohème Out of the Box are available in both English and Español

Creative and Technical Team

Assistant Director

Reed Fisher

Stage Manager

Collette Berg

Assistant Stage Manager

Jimmy Featherstone Marcheso

Set Supervisor

Ryan O'Steen

Lighting Designer

Justin Partier

Costume Coordinator & Supervisor

Cassandra Carpenter

Box Crew Head

Chris Davis

Please note that when you attend this event, you enter an area where photography, audio, and video recording may occur.
By entering the event premises, you consent to such recording media and its release, publication, exhibition or reproduction.

Made Possible By

Bohème Out of the Box is made possible, in part, by the Creative Edge Fund with major support from founding funders Carol and Dixon Doll, Peter Fenton and Kate Greer, and Bob Ellis.