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One of the two best recordings
In a recent BBC3 "CD Review" broadcast, Alexandra Wilson made a gallant attempt to achieve the impossible task of choosing amongst forty or so recordings of "La Boheme" - and while I agreed with her ultimate choice of the Beecham recording with Bjorling, Merrill and De Los Angeles, I have rather more regard for this discarded Karajan recording simply because Pavarotti's voice, in its prime, as she herself put it, "runs through the recording like a golden seam". The rest of the cast is wonderful, too, although Karajan's love for the score is manifested in a rather deliberately "beautiful" approach and thereby slightly undercuts the drama. I cannot be without either recording of this eternally youthful and moving opera, and although Freni was captured in slightly fresher, more limpid voice in the earlier Schippers set, for me Gedda is absolutely no substitute for Pavarotti at his best. Both Merrill and Panerai are infinitely touching in the great duet "O Mimi, tu piu non torni" and although Beecham's recording is a little rough around the edges, he conveys greater energy and fun in the slapstick scenes while, Karajan extracts slightly more pathos from the last act, in better sound. Acquire both sets for the complete experience.

A Definitive Production of La Bohème.
Puccini's iconic La Bohème (1896) is among the most popular operas in history (second only to Puccini's Madama Butterfly), and "Che gelida manina" is one of the most familiar arias in opera. Based on Scènes de la vie de Bohème by Henri Murger, La Bohème is a romantic opera in four acts. Set in Paris (around 1830), Puccini's opera is about four bohemians living in the Quartier Latin. One of them (Rodolfo) falls in love with a seamstress (Mimì), who contracts a cough which slowly consumes her (it is presumably tuberculosis). Rodolfo confesses to Marcello that he has left Mimi because of her deadly illness. When Mimi later dies, Rodolfo cries out Mimì's name and then weeps uncontrollably. La Bohème was first performed in Turin in 1896.

I experienced a live HD simulcast performance of Puccini's opera from The NYC Metropolitan Opera yesterday, with tenor Ramón Vargas performing as Rodolfo, Angela Gheorghiu in the role of Mimì, and Nicola Luisotti conducting. (Franco Zeffirelli produced the opera and designed the sets.) Before the Met performance, I listened to this CD performance to familiarize myself with the opera, and it is truly superb. This production, conducted by maestro Herbert von Karajan, is a definitive recording of La Bohème, with perfect performances (rich in bohemian heart and soul) by Luciano Pavarotti and Mirella Freni in the leading roles. Many opera buffs more knowledgeable than me have called this the greatest recording of La Bohème. The sound quality is impeccable. Highly recommended.

G. Merritt

Question
I'm sorry this is not a review. I was wondering if someone can tell me if libretto is included in this product. Thanks in advance.

The best recording of the opera!!!!!
This is the best recording made of this opera. I recommend it for any opera fan!!! Fantastic!!!

Best Bohème
This is one of the best opera recordings ever produced. For more than a decade, Freni-Pavarotti ruled the interpretation of Mimì and Rodolfo of this opera. This is absolutely the best La Bohème recording available, although some may argue that sometimes Karajan's tempi may be a little bit slow. But Karajan shows his meticulosity in this recording by showing all the poetry and dramatical concept of this opera. The orchestra just sounds perfect, and the singers Freni, Pavarotti and Panerai are exactly Mimì, Rodolfo and Marcello. The combination between Freni and Pavarotti, the way they merge they voices together, is absolutely magic and essential for the results of this recording, because they have the adequate voices for both roles. Panerai sings the nicer Marcello of all, and Ghiaurov nails his Colline role, while Harwood delivers another great role as Musetta, despite her lack of perfect Italian, but with a lot of expressiveness.
Bottomline: this is the best La Bohème available, and it is a must in any opera discography. Thanks for reading!
P.S. If you find my review helpful, vote YES (It does not mean you agree. It just means you found it helpful). You can read all my other reviews if you wish to. I modestly write them to help people form an opinion about movies, music and books, but if nobody reads them (if you don't vote I do not know if you did) there is no point in writing them.