La bohème

Lyric Opera of Kansas City is opening its 2026-2027 season with Giacomo Puccini's La bohème at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. It's a classic for a reason: the story follows a group of struggling young bohemians in nineteenth-century Paris, and the heart of it is the romance that grows between them. If the plot sounds familiar, that's because it later inspired Rent. The music is sung in Italian with English titles, so you can follow the story even if you don't speak the language.

It's one of those operas people recognize from the melodies alone. You'll hear 'Musetta's Waltz' and 'O soave fanciulla'—two of the most famous pieces in the repertoire—and the whole thing is built around that same kind of soaring, bittersweet sound. The story is as much about friendship as it is about romance, and it's held together by the spirit of the artists at the center of it.

This production is just the start of the company's 2026-2027 season, which marks the 70th in its history. The rest of the lineup includes Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro, Gilbert and Sullivan's The Pirates of Penzance, and a brand-new local production of Verdi's Aida, with new sets built right here in Kansas City.

La bohème runs for three performances at the Kauffman Center: Saturday, September 19, at 7:30 PM; Friday, September 25, at 7:30 PM; and Sunday, September 27, at 2:00 PM. Tickets start at $34.