This cultural history of La Bohème traces its rise to global fame. It demonstrates how the opera's prominence in popular culture, the inventiveness of its directors and performers, and its enduring themes of gender, poverty, and nostalgia have captured audiences' imagination for more than 120 years. Wilson is one of a few truly innovative Puccini scholars writing today. In this fascinating new book she explains how - against many odds and contrary to the expectations of early critics - La bohème became the work that still speaks to all of us, across generations and regardless of national, social and cultural boundaries. Her book is peppered with fascinating responses to Puccini's opera, from directors, critics and audiences. If we are to understand the success of Puccini's language, we have to look beyond conventional ideas of operatic italianità. Wilson's book shows us how to do this.