la vie boheme

When my kid was just a little one, around 5 or 6, Rent was one of her favorite movies. She loved the music. I may have fast-forwarded through some of it, but she picked up on the emotions and the love stories and that Angel got sick and died. When stars Anthony Rapp and Adam Pascal came to DC to do a live concert version of the play we went to see it with my cousin Ann. Today we watched it and her 14 year-old self got all of the story this time around. She remembered some of the songs and we cried again when Angel died, but this time she really understood it. We talked about opera and AIDS and New York City and drugs and lofts and leases and rent. I know a lot of people probably don't like the film version of this beloved show, but I do. When it was at its height I was living La Vie Boheme in NYC and couldn't really afford to go to the theater. With much of the original cast reprising their roles, this is a real treat. Despite the sadness that permeates most of the characters' lives, many of the numbers are filled with joy and exuberance. This is one of my favorites, set in the Life Cafe, one of my old haunts, which is unfortunately, no more.

This number really spoke to me today. Besides the obvious sticking it to the man theme that all artists enjoy, it seemed to underline the fact that certain societal divides are nothing new, but always worth fighting for. It doesn't matter if you relate to any or all or even none of the items on the song's list, but everyone should be be able to live their lives as they choose, and even celebrate those choices. Viva la vie boheme.

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