Thanks to Wikipedia, I had the plot to La Boheme down cold.  None of us, however, were prepared for the heat in the Teatro Nuovo.  (Except for the self-proclaimed “crazy Italian” who pulls off his shirt–before, or as, the performance begins–to reveal a fairly heavy undershirt, which he restrained from shedding as well.  All good fun, shared in a mix of English and Italian that grows familiar.)

But with the Wi-Fi high jinks, I could never prepare for the arias themselves. So there was the music, the scenery, and the crowd.  Plus the voices, so amazing to be so young.  (The performances are part of a 69-year old tradition of training new talent.  Quite a feat for a town this small.  And one that sustains itself, I would think, by the many days where the program is performed for the schools.)