13, 15, 17 & 19 Jul 2008

Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London WC2E 9DD; Box Office: 020 7304 4000

Performance times: 13 July at 15.00, 15 and 17 July 19.30 PM, 19 July at 12.00.

A lost key, an extinguished candle and an accidental touch in the dark. So begins one of the great, tragic romances of all opera as the cold hands of the fragile seamstress Mimi warm the heart of the poet Rodolfo in lyrical seduction. Puccini’s gloriously tuneful work follows their story through a year from that first meeting through jealous separation to a poignant death-bed reconciliation. With Cristina Gallardo-Domas as Mimi, Roberto Aronica playing Rodolfo for The Royal Opera for the first time and Christian Badea conducting, and we have the potent combination of great music and intense passion in live performance.

Details on www.royaloperahouse.org.uk .