Love and Community in “La Boheme”

June is a month known for vibrant displays of artistic beauty. It’s a month where LGBTQ+ people from all walks of life come together to celebrate who they are. There is an astounding diversity in the LGBTQ+ community, and naturally the ways they express their identities takes a myriad of forms. For some LGBTQ+ individuals, their Junes will be spent performing opera.

On the 14th and 16th of June, the Lyric Opera of the North (LOON) will be performing their production of La Bohème in Duluth at the Marshall Performing Arts Center. La Bohème was composed by Giacomo Puccini, with a libretto written by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa. Originally premiering in 1896, Puccini’s opera found international success, and as time has shown, its appeal has not withered over the years. Despite premiering over a century ago, its story about the bonds of friendship and love formed between a close group of working artists still resonates with audiences.

It also still resonates with the LGBTQ+ cast and crew that are bringing the story to life in Duluth. Robert Riordan plays the role of Schaunard the musician, and he identifies found family as a theme many LGBTQ+ individuals can relate to in La Bohème. As he explains, “For so many in our community, biological families aren’t always the safe spaces to grow that all children deserve. So instead we form our own families, filled with the people who will see us through the joys and sorrows of life.”

The found family themes were also relatable for Rose Freeman, the production’s trans nonbinary stage director. “La Bohème is eternal because of its relevance” explains Freeman, “Rereading this libretto sent me reeling to an essential time of my life where I lived with a chosen family of artists called the Lesbian Lounge. We made art, desperately needed money (but didn’t worry about it) and loved each other wildly and ferociously”. If the enduring appeal of La Bohème demonstrates anything, it shows that the more things change, the more they stay the same. Despite all of the social changes that have happened since the opera’s premiere, people are still coming together to create supportive communities.

Opera is traditionally seen as a very conservative institution, but it has also been a home for many LGBTQ+ individuals. Sara Beukers is the hair and makeup designer for La Bohème, and she notes that in all of her years working in opera, she has never been the only LGBTQ+ person working for the production. As she says, “We’re everywhere and I love that!”

According to Freeman, opera has its roots in radical traditions. Jacopo Peri wrote what is considered the first opera in 1589, Dafne, and in many ways it was a break from traditions. As Freeman describes, “The music written [for Dafne] was full of compositional styles discouraged by the church and about non-religious subjects in 17th century Europe. The performance was held privately in the Medici family’s home (for a wedding).” Opera would also often incorporate cross dressing into performances, having women perform in pants as males in what was known as a breeches role.

This isn’t to say that the history of opera is spotless. As a gay man, Rob Riordan has experienced positive and negative aspects of being an opera performer. As he explains: “In my experience, artists can be very inclusive and accepting people and opera at its roots can be subversive and radical. On the other hand, opera is still an art form and industry that carries a lot of elitist, sexist, racist, ageist, homophobic, and transphobic baggage. We have new operas such as As One and Fellow Travelers that tell LGBTQ+ stories through opera, but we also still see productions that use cruel caricatures of effeminate gay men for a laugh.”

He encourages opera companies and audiences to constantly push for the inclusion and representation that marginalized communities deserve. Including LGBTQ+ people on the production staff will inherently lead to stories that reflect LGBTQ+ perspectives, at least according to Freeman. As Zie eloquently explain: “All of my work is inherently nonbinary and trans because I am nonbinary and trans. I can do a simple love story between a man and a woman, yet it will still be queered because it’s me leading the room with a trans experience and a queer ethos. How does a trans person see love. In isolation and othering, trans people know that love and acceptance is so precious that it’s worth fighting for, that love needs community support to thrive, that loving yourself is part of loving others.”

Not only will this queerness shine through in the stage direction, but it also manifests in the hair stylings of Beukers and the passionate acting of Rob Riordan and Jeremiah Sanders, a non-binary person who plays the role of Colline the philosopher. In bringing these characters to life, LGBTQ+ people can see themselves reflected in these stories. In a powerful statement on the power opera has, Freeman states, “I firmly believe that queerness and opera are working together to save the world- and this is how. Queerness teaches you how to love, listen, fight, feel fully, find community and embrace the terrifying unknown of discovery and opera does the exact same thing.”

Love is a powerful force, capable of driving people to incredible acts of community.

Anyone who wants to witness the power of love explored through the found family of La Bohème can do so by witnessing the upcoming LOON production. The show is a reminder that community helps us face the adversity life throws our way. It’s a message that is exceptionally well suited for the month set aside to celebrate the diverse and wonderful community that LGBTQ+ people have built.

La Bohème
June 14 at 7:00 PM and June 16 at 3:00 PM
Marshall Performing Arts Center, University of Minnesota, Duluth, 1215 Ordean Ct., Duluth
www,loonopera.org/events/la-boheme/