Photo Flash: Lyric Opera of Chicago Presents LA BOHEME

Lyric Opera of Chicago's new coproduction of Puccini's La bohème opens the company's 64th season tomorrow -- Saturday, October 6, at 6:30pm. There are five performances through October 20 and six additional performance Jan. 10-25 at the Lyric Opera House, 20 N. Wacker Drive, Chicago. Tickets start at $49 and are available now at lyricopera.org/Boheme or at 312-827-5600.

Lyric has assembled a magnificent international cast to portray the charming group of young Bohemians navigating the ups and downs of life and love while struggling to make ends meet in 19th-century Paris.

Italian soprano Maria Agresta portrays Mimì, the seamstress whose chance encounter with the poet Rodolfo (American tenor Michael Fabiano/Lyric debut) leads to tender love. Australian-American soprano Danielle De Niese is Musetta, whose tempestuous romance with the painter Marcello (American baritone Zachary Nelson) rekindles at a crowded café on Christmas Eve. Romanian bass Adrian Sâmpetrean is the philosopher Colline, Puerto Rican baritone Ricardo José Rivera is the musician Schaunard, American bass-baritone Jake Gardner is the landlord Benoit and Musetta's gentleman companion Alcindoro, and Mexican tenor Mario Rojas is the clown Parpignol.

Venezuelan-Swiss conductor Domingo Hindoyan makes his Lyric Opera debut with these performances. The English director Richard Jones staged the new coproduction, with stylized yet traditional scenery and costumes by English designer Stewart Laing (Lyric debut) and lighting by American designer Mimi Jordan Sherin.

Lyric's chorus master Michael Black prepared 60 members of the Lyric Opera Chorus and and children's chorus master Josephine Lee prepared 21 members of the Chicago Children's Choir.

Photo Credit: Stefany Phillips