Magic Moments of Music – Franco Zeffirelli’s La Bohème

This magic moment with music by Giacomo Puccini and artworks by Zeffirelli opens a window into the tender and melancholically intimate story of Mimì in bohemian Paris.

After the great success of Zeffirelli’s production of La Bohème at La Scala in Milan, Herbert von Karajan and Zeffirelli were compelled to turn it into an opera film. The screen adaptation of Puccini’s masterpiece featured the choir and orchestra of the Milan Scala and among others, Mirella Freni, Gianni Raimondi and Rolando Panerai. The young Mirella Freni, who sang the role of Mimì for over 50 years, gained fame the world over, not least because of her natural and pure voice. South African soprano Pretty Yende, who was a student of Mirella Freni and later sang in Franco Zeffirelli’s production of La Bohème, recounts her experiences with her mentor. As a very young tenor, Franco-Italian singer Roberto Alagna sang alongside Mirella Freni in the Zeffirelli production and is grateful to count himself among the great tenors, alongside Pavarotti and Carreras – thanks in large part to this performance of La Bohème.

Magic Moments of Music – Anna Netrebko & Rolando Villazón sing La Traviata

The performance of La Traviata at the 2005 Salzburg Festival drew attention from all over the world: It is not the first time on stage together for Anna Netrebko and Rolando Villazón in the leading roles – but it is here in Salzburg that they finally rise to superstardom. Each are brilliant on their own, but under the direction of Willy Decker, they shine above all as a couple, playing to the fantasies of the audience. Opera stars had never before been so up-close and personal, and had never been so present in the media. Previously unseen rehearsal scenes and interviews with Anna Netrebko, Rolando Villazon, Thomas Hampson and Willy Decker bring this magic moment of music to life.