Puccini’s La Bohème at Bucharest National Opera with Star Soloists

The Bucharest National Opera closes its Month of Love (February) celebrations with performances that capture this enchanting human emotion—love. Between February 24-28, 2025, audiences will have the opportunity to enjoy several opera productions at the Bucharest National Opera, all continuing this romantic theme. Among them, we are delighted to highlight The Most Beautiful Tango in the World (February 24), La Bohème by Giacomo Puccini (February 26), The Tales of Hoffmann by Jacques Offenbach (February 27), Arias and Art Songs Recital (February 28), and La Traviata by Giuseppe Verdi (February 28).

The Most Beautiful Tango in the World – Monday, February 24, 6:30 PM

The foyer of the Bucharest National Opera will host a passionate and vibrant performance, inviting audiences to discover the most beautiful Romanian tangos, wonderfully interpreted by tenor Daniel Magdal, accompanied by pianist Alexandru Burcă and accordionist Fernando Mihalache. The fascinating resonance and elegant sway of Romanian tangos will be highlighted through an innovative choreographic and directorial concept by Monica Petrică and Alexandru Nagy.

La Bohème (by Giacomo Puccini) – Wednesday, February 26, 6:30 PM

Under the baton of conductor Daniel Jinga, in the final days of the Month of Love (February), the Bucharest National Opera invites you to Puccini’s opera La Bohème. As we near the end of winter (February), Puccini’s masterpiece transports us to the vibrant yet chilly atmosphere of Christmas Eve. Set against the romantic backdrop of Paris’s Latin Quarter during the reign of King Louis-Philippe of Orléans, the love story between the seamstress Mimì (performed by the renowned soprano Valentina Naforniță) and the poet Rodolfo (portrayed by the esteemed tenor Ștefan Pop) comes to life. This production recreates the bohemian charm of 19th-century Paris, offering audiences a mesmerizing and authentic artistic experience.

The Tales of Hoffmann (by Jacques Offenbach) – Thursday, February 27, 6:30 PM

Nearly 40 years after its last grand staging, the Bucharest National Opera once again presents The Tales of Hoffmann by Jacques Offenbach. This opera captivates audiences with its rich musical score, featuring virtuosic vocal moments (such as Olympia’s Aria), renowned duets (like the Barcarolle), and exquisitely melodic passages (such as the Diamond Aria). The production immerses audiences in an atmosphere of mystery and poetry, blending comedy with tragedy and dreamlike fantasy with destructive delirium. Like French composer Léo Delibes (who wrote the comic ballet Coppélia, recently staged at the Bucharest National Opera on February 19), Jacques Offenbach was a great admirer of the German Romantic writer E.T.A. Hoffmann. He sought to create a fantastical opera featuring characters drawn from Hoffmann’s surreal tales.

Arias and Art Songs Recital – Friday, February 28, 1:00 PM

The Bucharest National Opera will host an Arias and Art Songs Recital by the Voice Class of Professor Iulia Isaev (Associate Professor, PhD, at the National University of Music Bucharest), in collaboration with the Ludovic Spiess Experimental Studio for Performing Arts.

La Traviata (by Giuseppe Verdi) – Friday, February 28, 6:30 PM

Although La Traviata is now widely regarded as one of the most famous and beloved operas in the world, few spectators know that Verdi’s masterpiece was a complete failure at its premiere at Teatro La Fenice in Venice on March 6, 1853. Even fewer are aware that this great Verdi composition is based on a true love story between writer Alexandre Dumas fils and a renowned French courtesan (who tragically died at just 22 years old), immortalized in his novel The Lady of the Camellias (1848). Perhaps this is the perfect occasion to (re)read it.

Tickets available at http://tickets.operanb.ro/ and at the Bucharest National Opera Box Office.

Romania Journal is supporting the performances as media partner.