Mimì is poetry

She sang Violetta, Adina and Manon at the Haus am Ring - and is now returning as Mimì in La bohème: Ailyn Pérez. How Puccini characterizes Mimì musically, what it takes to be a Mimì singer and why her death on stage makes her happy: the soprano told us in an interview.

You sing numerous Puccini roles internationally. What makes him so special for you?

Puccini's melodies can sweep you off your feet: they are very melodic, mysterious, sensual, seductive. They invite you to let your thoughts run free, to dream. I wouldn't say that he is a "spiritual" composer, no, he is a deeply romantic musician. Puccini invites you to understand passion. There is something gentle and simple about his melodies - and yet they can be tough. Perhaps it is all these factors that make the world so fascinated by Puccini and why even contemporary composers are still influenced by his melodies.

Mimì in La bohème: Who is this poor seamstress?

She is the girl in everyday life who is always overlooked by everyone. Only with Rodolfo does she become visible, where we hear and experience her inner world, experience her thoughts. But only in the quiet moments when the two of them are together. Musetta, that's life at the party! She is the antithesis, the contrast! Mimì, on the other hand, is poetry. And she is like a perfect sunrise; it is not for nothing that she says in her aria that the first kiss of the sun in spring belongs to her. Or at the end of the opera, when she returns to greet her friends: you hear a chord that sounds like a perfect sunny day in Vienna, a beautiful morning after a harsh winter. This moment - that is Mimì!

And how does Puccini describe the character of Mimì in his music?

Her phrases are simple but very subtle. She radiates warmth and lyricism. And it must have something of a blossoming, Mimì must be like the rose she sings about. It needs a beautiful, touching and slightly flirtatious sound. It's also important that it doesn't go too fast! In contrast to Musetta, Mimì is someone who takes things slowly. In short: the blossoming of her sound is like the gradual blossoming of her life and her love.

What does a singer need to be a good Mimì?

To do it really well, you need the calmness mentioned above. And you also have to be very precise as an actress. You also need good timing, both in terms of acting and music. And you need charm and a really fresh-sounding voice.

When Mimì dies, the audience is always deeply moved. How do you feel as a singer? Is it just acting? How do you feel about stage death?

That sounds strange, but I'm happy right now. Why? Because Mimì can be with Rodolfo and she can tell him: "You are my love... and my whole life". She has come to tell him this so that he knows it and has no doubts: he is the love of her life. This clarity, this admission is ultimately a great happiness. We all have to ask ourselves what we will say to our loved ones in the face of death? And hopefully we will have the chance to say something at all! I therefore believe that Mimì is happy at this moment because she was still able to tell Rodolfo the most important thing. Incidentally, there is still a Mimì motif floating in the orchestra: so she is still there, her spirit remains with us. Perhaps it is a sign that no one ever disappears completely. We die, but we are still a part of people's lives. If we exist in memory and our story is carried on, we live on. That's a thought I like: as a musician - and as a person!