Young, passionate love defeated by poverty and a fatal illness: The story is as old as the human race, yet it never loses its emotional wallop.

Since its debut in Italy in 1896, Giacomo Puccini's "La Bohème," with its exquisite melodies and heartrending drama, has been on the Top 10 list of operagoers' favorite operas.

In recent years, opera houses have been staging modernized versions of this much-loved old chestnut, probably thinking it needed freshening up. But not even the best update — Baz Luhrmann's 2003 Broadway version that won several Tony Awards for the Australian film director — can touch Puccini's original work.

Lancaster's John Darrenkamp, artistic director of OperaLancaster's coming production of "La Bohème," does not believe Puccini's timeless masterpiece needs to be updated, though he did admit in a telephone interview that he attempted a very minor change.

"By tradition, when Mimì dies, Rodolfo rushes to her and sings full volume, 'Mimì, Mimì!' I wanted Rodolfo to do just a sob, but found it can't be done. Puccini wrote the dynamics of that music that made this impossible."

So when the lights go up Friday at Franklin & Marshall College's Roschel Performing Arts Center, operagoers will be treated to a "La Bohème" sung in Italian that Darrenkamp has made sure "is true to Puccini's original intent." There will be projected supertitles in English to maximize enjoyment of the opera.

The four-act opera is set in the 1830s in Paris' Latin Quarter. The story follows a year in the lives of Rodolfo, a poet; Mimì, who makes silk flowers for a living; and their friends — Marcello the painter, Musetta the singer, Schaunard the musician and Colline the philosopher.

The first act occurs in Rodolfo's garret on Christmas Eve. The wind blows out Mimì's candle on her way up to her attic room. She knocks on Rodolfo's door. The two meet for the first time and, under the spell of moonlight filtering through the window, sing rapturously about themselves and their newfound love.

The second act occurs at the crowded Café Momus, where Rodolfo introduces Mimì to his rowdy friends. Musetta comes in escorted by Alcindoro, her rich, old lover. She sings "Musetta's Waltz," the opera's most recognized aria, to irritate her true love, Marcello.

In the third act, a tavern where the reconciled Marcello and Musetta are working, Rodolfo tells Marcello that his violent quarrels with Mimì are a ruse to drive her away and accept the offer of a rich suitor. He believes Mimì is dying, and he is too poor to buy medicines to prolong her life. A cough reveals Mimì's presence. She has heard everything. In poignantly beautiful arias and duets, the lovers patch things up, decide to remain together until the spring, then wish that winter would last forever.

In the fourth act, it is winter once again. Rodolfo pretends to write and Marcello pretends to paint, but their thoughts are on their lost loves. Schaunard and Colline visit, followed by Musetta. She brings in Mimì. She has returned to die in the place where she had known happiness. In that bare, cold garret, Mimi dies surrounded by Rodolfo and her friends.

Since September, music director Richard Anderson of York has been preparing a double principal cast of 16, a 20-piece orchestra and a chorus of 28 adults and 24 children.

He describes the music Puccini wrote for his melodrama as "very beautiful and so romantic." He said, "If we do our job well, there won't be many dry eyes at the end of the opera."

Principal cast members are: Kristin Sims of Leola and Katy Gentry of Philadelphia as Mimì; Laura Heydt Adams of York and Priscilla Coblentz of Philadelphia as Musetta; Tommy DeHorney III of Philadelphia, Steven Williams of New Jersey and Konrad Fritz of Lancaster as Rodolfo; Mike Anderson of York and Paul Corujo of Baltimore as Marcello; Derek Martin of New Holland and Michael Popovsky of Lancaster as Schaunard; Ben Williams of Philadelphia as Colline, Michael Widlake of Lancaster as Benoît the landlord and David Kohler of Lancaster as Alcindoro.

Early in his operatic career, retired Metropolitan Opera singer Darrenkamp sang the roles of Marcello and Schaunard. He appeared in "Bohème" with three of the best tenors of this generation: Franco Corelli in Philadelphia, Luciano Pavarotti in Mexico and Plácido Domingo in Fort Worth.

He said, laughing, "I look at this opera while directing and think how I'd love to see myself do it again."

OperaLancaster will present "La Bohème" at 8 p.m. Friday and 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at F&M's Roschel Performing Arts Center on College Avenue. For tickets, call 358-4858 or visit operalancaster.com. Discounts are available for seniors, groups and students.