A feast for the senses: La Bohème enchants Erfurt’s cathedral steps!

A feast for the senses: La Bohème enchants Erfurt’s cathedral steps!

The Cathedral Steps Festival in Erfurt began on August 8, 2025 with an impressive production of Puccini's masterpiece “La Bohème”. Director Matthew Ferraro has transformed the play into an emotional roller coaster ride that addresses both the joy of life and the painful reality. The large stage on the cathedral steps, 23 meters wide and 40 meters deep, provides the perfect setting for this dramatic story about young artists in Paris who embark on a journey between fantasy and reality.

A striking element of the production is the backdrop of a theme park, which is dominated by a 16 meter high Eiffel Tower, which gives the event a fascinating touch. The whole thing is implemented with an impressive light installation made up of 500 lamps that illuminate the scene. Another highlight is the aforementioned slide and a snack bar, which embodies the Café Momus. Together with the detailed attic, which shows a cast-iron oven, the stage design creates a lively atmosphere that takes the audience into the world of Rodolfo and Mimi.

Technical challenges and cast highlights

Although Ferraro's directing team showed a great knack for the production, there were some challenges in the acoustics, especially in the second picture, where the choir was not optimally showcased. In addition, the live music and the orchestra's voices are transmitted via loudspeakers, which also causes particular acoustic problems. The main roles are cast multiple times, which opens up possibilities for different performances and perspectives. Shelley Jackson as Mimi and Jongwoo Kim as Rodolfo deliver remarkable performances, while Candela Gotelli as Musetta lights up the stage in her bright red costume, actually with references to Marilyn Monroe.

Performances will continue through August 31, 2025, with all performances beginning at 8:30 p.m. Ticket prices range from 75 to 90 euros, with discounts available. A possible audience capacity of up to 42,000 is expected, which represents an uplifting prospect for the Erfurt Theater. In addition to “La Bohème”, the family opera “The Little Ghost” will be shown on the same stage from August 16th, which also appeals to a wide audience.

The Cathedral Steps Festival is not only a cultural attraction, but also financially, as the Erfurt Theater expects to receive 26 million euros in public donations and up to 2.8 million euros from ticket sales. The combination of exciting productions and the unique atmosphere of the cathedral steps makes this festival a firmly established event in the region and attracts visitors from near and far.

For deeper insights and further information about “La Bohème” and the ongoing festival, check out the reports from MDR as well as the current details Theater Erfurt to. You can't miss an exciting performance here!