by Mary Spears
The Observer
October 2, 2000

Rent is basically a modern-day adaptation of Puccini's opera "La Boheme" (a fact most clearly acknowledged in one of the soundtrack's best songs, "La Vie Boheme").

The main differences are that, while "La Boheme" takes place in Paris, "Rent" is set in New York City, and instead of being overshadowed by tuberculosis as the opera is, the musical's characters live in the shadow of AIDS.

This adds poignancy to many of the songs on the soundtrack, particularly the love songs between the two sets of HIV-positive lovers, Angel and Collins and Mimi and Roger.

The musical and soundtrack start off focusing on Roger and his roommate, Mark. Through a series of short pieces at the beginning of the soundtrack the listener discovers that Roger's "going through withdrawal," having not played his beloved guitar in half a year and that Mark's girlfriend just left him for a new lover named Joanne. The two roommates are also a year behind on rent.

This provides the lead in for a great rock song, "Rent," in which Roger and Mark burn things for warmth and try to think of how they're going to pay an entire year's rent. "Rent" is the first of many songs that on the soundtrack that can not only stand alone, independent of the plot, but also appeal to even sworn haters of musicals. It has an actual rhythm and, backed as it is with an electric guitar riff, sounds like a song that could conceivably be released on a modern rock station.

From here, the soundtrack throws several major events at listeners: it introduces them to Collins; shows Collins's first meeting with his future lover Angel; and reveals that both men have AIDS (in a song called "You Okay Honey?").

Then, for good measure, it also reveals, in a frightening 20-second piece of stage direction sung by screenwriter Mark, that Roger's been in withdrawal for the past six months because his girlfriend slit her wrists in the bathroom after writing a note to Roger saying, "We've got AIDS."

Depressed at being reminded of this, Roger decides to stay in his apartment for yet another night and attempt to write one great song before he dies ("One Song Glory"). Bittersweet and evocative, "One Song Glory" is another song that has appeal for a large audience, and is performed with great emotion by the original Roger, actor Adam Pascal.

Mark's neighbor Mimi, a dancer, makes an appearance and asks for a light - her heat has just been turned off - in "Light My Candle." The two discover information about each other through an amusing conversation set to music. Roger and Mimi are clearly attracted to each other, and the end of the song leaves the future of their relationship open.

After these relatively light-hearted songs, the compact disc briefly takes a more subdued turn in the form of an affirmation by a support group for AIDS sufferers.

The album switches back to an amusing song when Mimi sings to Roger in a song called "Out Tonight." The song is amusing mostly because of Mimi's pronunciation of "out," which sounds something like a cat in heat that's just been run over by a car.

From here, the mood shifts yet again - the life support group for AIDS sufferers has reached a low point. By the end of "Will I?," most of the cast is asking themselves the same question: "Will I lose my dignity, and will someone care?" It's an emotional piece, but it's complicated by the approximately 57 different people who are all singing the same part at different times throughout the song.

Still, it accomplishes what it sets out to do - it's depressing.

Shortly after this, it's time for Maureen's protest. She appears to be protesting attitudes toward "virtual" and "actual" life, condemning cyberspace and praising the bohemian lifestyle. Unfortunately, it doesn't quite perform as expected - it functions less as a satire on the modern technological lifestyle than as one on over-pretentious, "artsy" protests like itself.

However, this barb at bohemia is overshadowed by the next song, probably the best one on the compact disc. "La Vie Boheme" celebrates the sentiments, people and ideals encompassed in the bohemian lifestyle - everything from Pablo Neruda to Pee Wee Herman to things unmentionable in The Observer.

The second compact disc, encompassing the music of the second act, contains much fewer standout songs than the first. However, the opening song, "Seasons of Love," is one of these standout songs. In it, the cast ponders how to measure a year - it's all some of them have left to live. They eventually decide that it's best to "measure in love" - something that sounds trite until the listener actually hears the song. This is one of
those guilty pleasure songs that is easy to like without knowing why.

Sadly, this is one of the few really exceptional songs in the second act.

The second act's songs are still pleasant to listen to, but they're mainly fillers - they serve expository purposes and don't stand alone on any real aesthetic value.

Luckily, the exceptions are quite good- in "Without You," Mimi mourns her failing relationship with Roger; in "I'll Cover You-Reprise," Collins sings another encomium to Angel; in "What You Own," Mark and Roger discover their own respective inspirations and bitterly denounce life in America at the end of the millennium; and in "Your Eyes," Roger finally gives listeners the song he's been trying to write for a year - a song about Mimi.

Finally, after two compact discs and just over two hours of music, the soundtrack is finished. Despite lyrics that are sometimes a bit trite (like the very last song of the second act), for the most part, "Rent" rises above a typical musical.

In fact, it reminds listeners more of the Who's "Tommy" or perhaps "Jesus Christ Superstar" than a typical musical at all - it's more of a rock opera than anything else.

Still, this soundtrack, amusing at some times and poignant at others, and with such great music is a must-have for all fans of the play, and also a good addition to the collection of people who aren't familiar with "Rent" at all.