When it came to reading the book “Scenes of a Latin Quarter”, I didn’t like it. The story used the old English language, and I typically don’t enjoy reading things like that. I also didn’t enjoy the movie “Rent” as I don’t typically enjoy musicals. Same thing goes for the Opera lecture. Although it was cool learning about the history, I am not a big fan of them.

 

A similarity I found between “Scenes of a Latin Quarter”, “Rent”, and even some of the artists we learn about, like Patti Smith in “Just Kids” is that the artists struggle economically. The artists in “Scenes from a Latin Quarter”struggle to pay their rent, the artists in “Rent” struggle to survive in New York City with their lack of money, and Patti Smith in “Just Kids” starts off homeless when she arrives in New York City. Another similarity between “Scenes of a Latin Quarter” and “Rent” is the theme of love and friendship. The characters in both the book and the movie help each other to overcome their struggles. In “Rent”, they help overcome financial struggles, isolation, and fear of the HIV/AIDS epidemic. In “Scenes of a Latin Quarter”, they help overcome financial struggles and romantic conflicts. Overall, both stories had similarities and even had a common theme with what other artists dealt with outside of these two stories.

 

From the Opera lecture, I liked the operas that only relied on the piano for the instrumentals. I like classical music since I’ve been playing them throughout my life on the piano, and overall the operas sounded really nice. I was even amazed that Amanda Zory Hick had an example of herself doing an opera to show to us, she is really talented! One more thing I liked was the Oppenheimer opera she showed. I already knew the context since I watched the movie on release, which made the opera more understandable.

♥Scenes of a Latin Quarter, Rent, Opera Lecture♥

In “Scenes of a Latin Quarter”, there are obvious themes of poverty, unrequited love, and Bohemianism. Bohemianism refers to a societal movement of people who live with the arts in an unconventional way. In this story, the artists live in poverty and struggle to pay rent due to their careers, but still try to live optimistically. This is directly related to the Bohemian theme, because while art is not considered a “respectable career”, we all need art to live and relate to, which is why many artists are happy to create it.

Similarly to the artists in “Scenes of a Latin Quarter”, another group of artist friends is struggling to pay rent in NYC, and at the same time, are directly affected by the AIDS epidemic. Since Rent is a musical, it was easier for me to grasp than “Scenes of a Latin Quarter”, which I found quite dense at some points. But, both texts share the exact theme of Bohemianism and how it is used as a coping mechanism for different issues, which in this case was the AIDS epidemic, and for “Scenes of a Latin Quarter”, it was poverty and unrequited love.

Finally, I enjoyed how this connected to the Opera lecture. Not too long ago, I went to see Les Contes D’Hoffmann, which was my introduction to opera since I had never been exposed to it before. After learning about Bohemianism in opera, I have even more of an understanding of how opera came to be, and how works like Rent and “Scenes of a Latin Quarter” came to be as well. I argue that Bohemianism is still very evident in our society today, but a lot of it was popularized through these original pieces of work.

I enjoyed reading Scenes from a Latin Quarter. My favorite chapter was 6, the one that showed the infatuation of Marcel with Madam Musette. I think it accurately represents the grandeur that many artists of the time had. This is especially true with their belief that they should not accept money for their art. I liked how the book portrayed the characters as people who not only appreciated art but also lived it.

I didn’t really enjoy Rent, mostly since it was a musical. I thought it ruined the pacing and made the movie unenjoyable. I think the use of the AIDs crisis within the movie was interesting, and the characters all had similar mindsets to those in the book. I was also surprised that I have heard some of the songs that were in Rent, since I have never heard about the movie before.

The opera lecture was a different experience for me. I liked hearing about the history, but didn’t enjoy some of the examples given. I did like how there were some operas that were adapted into different mediums, like books and movies, and I enjoyed comparing them to their counterparts.

The book Scenes from a Latin Quarter and the movie Rent illustrated the Bohemian lifestyle and demonstrated similar themes of art, poverty, and love. However, I found the book to have dense language and hard to follow at times, so seeing those themes from the movie was more enjoyable. The movie’s flaw, in my opinion, is that it was a musical, so the music was a bit incessant at times, but it did a great job of capturing the Bohemian lifestyle. Also, the connections between the book and the movie were apparent because I read the book first and then watched the movie. So, when I saw similar themes, such as the characters failing to pay rent and the pride the artists took in their work, I could draw parallels between the book and the movie while watching. The movie also covered important topics for the Bohemian lifestyle in New York in the 1980s, such as Angel’s relationship with Collins and their suffering from AIDS. Back then, AIDS was thought only to be transferred between two men, and there weren’t as many treatment options available, meaning if you had contracted it, it was likely fatal. While researching the movie’s origins, I found that it was based on the opera La bohème, so going into watching the opera recordings, I was interested in drawing connections again. I thought the opera singers were talented and did a great job conveying emotion. I could see how the movie was based on an opera because of the similar ways of telling their stories through their voices. Overall, I enjoyed the book, the movie, the opera, and the connections they had between each other.

     My experience reading “Scenes from a Latin Quarter,” a book that portrays the bohemian lifestyle of artists in Paris, was enjoyable. Although the characters lived in poverty, they remained devoted to their art, finding joy in each other’s company. The main characters were part of a group called the Water Drinkers, who vowed not to devote their artistic skills for the sake of money. Their comedic interactions add happiness to the book, making it an enjoyable read. Specifically, I enjoyed reading about how, despite Schaunard’s poverty, he enjoys life by taking advantage of society and relying on his friends.

     On the other hand, the movie Rent offered a poor representation of the spirit captured in “Scenes from a Latin Quarter.” Rent brings the ideas from “Scenes from a Latin Quarter” into the modern New York setting, addressing issues such as gentrification, homelessness, and the AIDS epidemic. The modern ideas made me picture the horrible living conditions of the characters, making me focus on the suffering more than the joy that they felt from art, giving the movie a darker tone. Although I enjoyed the depiction of the bohemian lifestyle in New York, the movie sacrificed parts of the story to musical numbers, making the transitions between scenes feel forced.

     The opera presentation did an excellent job illustrating the evolution and creation of opera over time. The presentation began by stating that modern operas are more affordable, which make them appealing to wider audiences, not only the rich. The presentation continues by using  examples of different types of operas, I was able to visualize the progression of opera through time. The opera that stood out to me was the Oppenheimer Opera because it allowed me to compare how a story is told through movie and opera format.

The chapter about Mademoiselle Munette in “Scenes from a Latin Quarter” paints a picture of life in the Latin Quarter, full of both energy and struggle. Artists like Munette face a mix of joy and hardship, but she remains passionate and dedicated to her craft despite the challenges. The chapter shows how her life mirrors the broader struggles of the area, where art and community are key to survival. It celebrates the human spirit and the power of art to create meaning, even in difficult times. The movie “Rent” really spoke to me. It was about a group of friends in New York dealing with love, loss, and challenges like poverty and illness. The songs make their emotions so real, especially “Seasons of Love,” which is about measuring life through love, not time. It reminded me to live fully and cherish what’s most important. It reminded me of Professor Gianoulis’ class, because we discussed gratitude and the importance of showing appreciation in our lives. One opera piece that I liked from the zoom recording, was “Ombra mai fu”. “Ombra mai fu” feels completely different from the other two. It’s a calm, beautiful song where a character sings to a tree and appreciates its shade and stillness. It was so peaceful that it felt as if time stopped for a moment. Unlike the intense emotions in “Rent” or the “Scenes from a Latin Quarter”, this opera piece made me think about how important it is to slow down and notice the little things such as the beauty of nature that I feel that we often take for granted.

The three mediums of book, opera and film can convey similar ideas in their works but their characteristics allow for distinct viewer experiences. Such is reflected in the text “Scenes from a Latin Quarter,” the film Rent and the styles of operas in various stages of opera’s development as an art form.
First, there are similar themes in Rent and “Scenes from a Latin Quarter.” First, there is unreciprocated love in the latter as Rodolphe’s love was given but not returned by Mimi. Similarly, in Rent, Joanne and Mimi feel as though their love is not being reciprocated by Maureen and Roger, respectively. Joanne feels like Maureene is not committing to her by flirting with other women in the same way that Rodolphe suspects Mimi’s infidelity. In addition, Mimi feels like Roger does not love her in the same way that Rodolphe realizes he cannot be with Mimi because she doesn’t love him. Second, there is the question of living a life of poverty as opposed to selling out one’s conscience by engaging in commercial art. In “Scenes from a Latin Quarter,” the artists live lives of poverty, with Schaunard unable to pay the rent and many of the artists barely scraping by. This poverty is on some level a conscious choice, undertaken in order to preserve their artistic integrity. For instance, the Water Drinkers are described as a group who pledge to not produce art commercially. Their name alludes to the idea of only drinking water and eating bread. There is a resentment that they feel towards anyone who produces art commercially. For instance, the president of the group, Lazare, condemns one of the members, Jacques, by telling him that he has renounced his artistry by taking on commercial work. This same theme carries over into Rent, where the artists also cannot afford their rent and the guitarist Roger is so economically unproductive that he barely even produces art on an annual basis. The artists in Rent also criticize their old friend Benny for selling out by becoming a landlord and joining forces with his father-in-law, who is a real estate investor. They claim Benny lost his principles and ideals. Just as Jacques is forced into commercial work to support his companion Francine, Mark holds his nose and begins working as a videographer for Buzzline. There is even an entire song in Rent about how in America one has to give up their conscience and people are only “what they own” because artists like Mark and Roger are forced to work in jobs they don’t enjoy rather than pursue their independent creative projects. Thus, Rent and “Scenes from a Latin Quarter” both grapple with whether producing art commercially is ethical and infringes on authenticity. Third, there is the idea of life cut far too short by death which is found in both works. In “Scenes from a Latin Quarter,” Jacques and Francine both tragically die young, and the AIDS crisis is shown to take away beautiful souls like Angel in Rent. Fourth, there are common themes of living in the present and pushing boundaries. These themes are present in “Scenes from a Latin Quarter” but they find explicit mention in Rent. In the former, artists like Schaunard laude the idea of taking pleasure in the moment and trying to enjoy life through eating, drinking and discussing art. Additionally, the mistresses and the promiscuity of the characters in the Latin Quarter were certainly taboo for the text’s time. In Rent, the artists dance on tables in a restaurant as they talk about drugs, dildos and explicitly say they are the vanguard of the “taboo.” Additionally, in the life support circle for those with AIDS, they talk about how they must forget the bad and take comfort in both the present moment and one another. The song between Roger and Mimi similarly asks whether love can wait and if it must happen today or another day. The presence of shared themes makes sense because if one traces the thread of inspiration for Rent one will reach “Scenes from a Latin Quarter.” That is why the scene where Mimi and Roger meet because she needs a light exactly resembles Jacques and Francine’s first encounter.
Nevertheless, there are significant differences in content between the two works. In Rent, there is a broader political message about fighting the exploitative power of the wealthy. There is a protest and riot which breaks out against the landlords, as they are not simply evicting the artists but the whole community who cannot afford to pay their rent. Although Schaunard flouts his rent obligation, he is not a part of a broader social movement which advocates for economic justice and greater power for tenants. In addition, homelessness is displayed more strikingly in the Rent than in “Scenes from a Latin Quarter.” The artists are not the only members of the poor. In fact, one of the impoverished even expresses their disdain for artists who want to document their poverty for material gain. In Rent, homeless people are outside the community center and they appear to live in Maureen’s performing space. Thus, Rent does seem to highlight the social ills facing New York City, aside from the voluntary poverty of its artists. Rent’s emphasis on broader concerns is also conveyed in its treatment of the AIDS crisis. The immense suffering inflicted by AIDS is continually shown in Rent. Thus, Rent communicates political messages about economic inequity, homelessness and public health which are not as explicit as in “Scenes from a Latin Quarter.”
Opera plays a role in this picture. We were not assigned Puccini’s La Bohème. However, opera as a whole does to a larger extent place the viewer’s focus on the singer and music than even a musical movie like Rent. For instance, Baroque operas use ornamentation in which the singer improvises and shows their skills and the Bel Canto opera style in particular highlights the singer’s vocal flexibility, breath control and range. Additionally, an opera has an orchestra which features prominently in the viewing experience. Rent, unlike other films, has singing. However, the viewer finds themselves paying much closer attention to the words which are relating the story’s details rather than the music. On the other hand, operas are often written and performed in foreign languages which make the words themselves, especially for an American viewer, even less important. There are some similarities between opera and film. For instance, the recitative or spoken singing of opera is similar to some of the songs in Rent where the story and dialogue was communicated through song. In both mediums, there is immense emotion conveyed through singing. For instance, the Opera lecture mentioned atonal chords, which have a dissonance that enables the viewer to feel the unrest of the story. The love songs with Collins and Angel and Roger and Mimi towards the end of Rent evoke a powerful sense of intimacy and the feeling of security which comes from being taken care of by another person. Even “Scenes from a Latin Quarter” conveys the power of music because Schaunard describes how he visualizes his music. However, this is where text differs from opera and music. One can’t feel the emotion of music by reading this passage about Schaunard, even though it is perceived. The emotive singing of Pavarotti and Collins conjures up heartbreak in a way one cannot experience by reading about Rodolphe and Mimi. This is because the unique impact of reading comes in giving the reader agency to imagine the story in a way that an Opera or movie like Rent are incapable of due to their visuals. Unlike the passive experience of having emotions evoked, the reader must do more work to find the emotion in the text itself. In this way, reading a book is far more of an intellectual experience. One cannot be swept away into feelings by a dramatic aria or well-constructed montage. In “Scenes from a Latin Quarter,” only one who imagines the pain undergone by Jacques and Rodolphe as they mourn their lost loves could be moved by the text’s descriptions.
Lastly, there are scenes in Rent which could not be executed as seamlessly in a book or opera. First, a flashback or fantasy with dramatic visuals where the viewer is brought back and forth between the present and the imagination can only be effectively done in a film. One example of this is the scene where Mark imagines he is dancing the tango in a suit with a crowd of professionals. One could describe that scene in a book but the words would not create as harsh of a sudden visual contrast between the real world and the vision. Additionally, in an opera it would be logistically impossible to shift back and forth as quickly as is necessary to mimic what should be a short transition between a dreamlike state and reality. A second scene in Rent which could not be replicated in the other mediums is the song in the balcony and the street where the camera pans back and forth between the two groups or individuals singing. The antagonism between the characters is intensified by the camera’s alternative spotlighting of each at increasing frequency. That camera work cannot be mimicked in a book or opera because it provides an intense visual focus on each actor. There was also uniquely film-oriented camera work in the scenes where the characters danced on the table in the restaurant. The multiple angles added to the chaos of the scene. A third relevant scene is the montage with the victims of AIDS disappearing as they die and the flashes to Angel in the hospital as her condition gradually worsens. The way in which a montage can combine images to create an emotional effect and convey the passage of time all at once is brilliant. A book or opera could never do the same. Thus, there are types of film scenes which cannot be replicated by the other mediums.
All in all, Rent’s inspiration from “Scenes from a Latin Quarter” is clear in its themes, such as the tragedy of unreciprocated love and youthful death. Nevertheless, Rent’s messages extend to broader political calls to action to address economic and social problems. As far as mediums in general, opera focuses the viewer on the music, while still conveying emotion in a manner similar to film. In contrast, books place responsibility on the reader to seek emotion within the story itself. Lastly, there are film techniques, such as those employed in flashbacks and montages, whose visuals have distinctive emotional impacts on the viewer. These three mediums have persisted because they each awaken a separate part of the human senses. Whether it is the intellect in reading, the use of sound in opera or the visual in film, these mediums activate the human soul.

Rent:
The movie Rent successfully depicts the Bohemian lifestyle of New York City and provided a visualization of the reading Scenes From the Latin Quarter by Henri Murger. Overall, the movie captures many themes of Bohemian life, such as unity, discrimination, and love. 

The movie opens with a dramatic performance of the Bohemians on the cusp of being evicted because they have not paid rent. This scene parallels the reading, as the Bohemian characters were evicted because their work in art did not secrete enough money to pay for rent. Although, through this problem, the characters stayed and struggled together. They devoted themselves to art, regardless if it was at the expense of their home. For instance, in the movie, Maureen puts on her protest against Benny (the landlord), and through the musical scenes it becomes evident how passionate the Bohemians are for standing up against poverty whilst keeping staying true to art. As this scene unravels, the police violently try to dismantle the protest, also conveying themes of police brutality that happened in New York during the eighties. 

Additionally, the movie displays the theme of equality through its diverse characters, sexualities, and relationships. These aspects work to show that love can be universally experienced no matter the gender. More specifically, the movie also dives into the events of the AIDS outbreak in the eighties, raising awareness to the devastating challenges many gay couples faced. The death of Angel captures the emotional loss of those who passed with AIDS, as his death affected not only his partner, Collins, but his group of friends who supported him.  

As for my viewing experience, I sometimes did find it hard to decipher the exact plot that was going on. I think the themes of the movie make sense to be a musical, but sometimes the musical scenes diverged from what was happening and were too long. Maybe this is because I don’t particularly like musicals, so my argument may be a little biased. 

Opera:
Watching the opera lecture taught me the evolution of opera geographically and through history, and how opera often reflected the time period it came from. For example, the Bel Canto period from the 1780s-1850s expanded storylines in the opera; they shifted away from monarchs and religion and dived into the themes of love and passion. Additionally, I enjoyed listening to the example opera performances, and you can truly feel the emotions opera encapsulates. Also, the speaker did an amazing job of dissecting the musical composition of opera in a clear and understandable manner. 

Sidenote: the speaker was very talented! Her performance was breathtaking and I was amused by her captivating and strong voice. 

I enjoyed the themes of Rent and its representation of the culture in the East Village during the 80s. Each character seemed affected by the AIDS crisis and their own struggle to produce art in different ways. Collins and Angel were brought closer by their shared diagnosis, while Roger felt a need to run away from love and write music since he was running out of time. However, I feel like the movie adaptation of the musical doesn’t do it justice. Some of the scenes and transitions into song were very silly, to the point of breaking the atmosphere that the directors intended to create. I believe that we are able to look past the outlandishness of bursting into song mid-conversation when we see a performance on stage since the stage itself enables us to suspend our belief and understand the sight of people hanging off fire escapes and shredding their eviction notices, but the moment that same performance enters a realistic movie set environment, the same effect just isn’t there.

This stage performance effect also applies to opera. Because opera employs such powerful vocals, I feel that the best way for it to be experienced is live in an auditorium or theatre, where the singer’s voice resonates with the walls and the audience can be immersed in the storyline. It was cool to see the evolution of opera over time — from a single lute player and singer, to an upscaled production featuring orchestra and set pieces. And like with other forms of theater, the stories that opera tells have also changed. It’s impressive how we’ve gone from Greek tragedies to Oppenheimer in a story-telling medium that is purely musical.