A Fragment from Act II of Giacomo Puccini\u27s La Boheme

This manuscript transmits ten measures from the so-called Sextet in the opera\u27s second act, corresponding to pages 207 (measure 2) through 210 (measure 1) of the current published orchestral score. The passage forms part of the middle section of a tripartite structure that begins and ends with the renowned Musetta\u27s Waltz ( Quando m\u27en vo ). At this point in the plot, the inhabitants of Paris\u27s Latin Quarter, gathering to celebrate Christmas Eve at the Cafe Momus, witness the spectacle of Musetta\u27s successful attempt to win back her lover. The section as a whole presented a problem for Puccini\u27s librettists, who had to reconcile its function as the old-fashioned, static set piece of the act with the composer\u27s demands for picturesque episodes to aid characterization. Such problems were indicative of this collaboration, with the seasoned dramatist (Illica) and the sensitive poet (Giacosa) on the one hand, and Puccini, the demanding composer, on the other