La Boheme (Act II many years ago)

A little while ago I saw the University of Michigan’s School of Music Theatre and Dance production of La Boheme, led by my former conducting teacher Kenneth Kiesler. I was very impressed by the voices, musicianship, orchestra, and the professional level of the production. As I was watching the second act, I was reminded about a fun episode that I experienced a long time ago that would be fun to revisit.

As a kid growing up in NY, some of my earliest professional music experiences were as a singer in the Metropolitan Opera Children’s Chorus.

The second act at the Met is a huge bustling affair, with hundreds of singers on stage, props, set pieces, etc… I think there was even a real horse pulling Parpignol’s toy carriage. In the spirit of realism, even the baked goods and bread rolls on stage were freshly baked and aromatic.

One of the coolest visual effects that the production demanded was a “postcard effect” during Musetta’s aria. Everyone on stage was to freeze at the moment her aria began. I’m sure this was amazing to witness from the audience,, though as a 9 year old, I probably didn’t want to stay still that long. PLUS those aromas of freshly baked bread rolls… SO I realized after a few performances that the set had a lot of “shops” one could walk into and be out of sight of the audience. And I would thus carefully time picking up a bread roll, and subtly enter a “shop” just a few seconds before everyone had to freeze… and then I could enjoy my bread roll, and the music, out of sight of the audience, and a few minutes later when everyone started moving again, I would just walk out of the store.

I don’t know if this story is more a testament to my inability to stay still, or my fast metabolism.