"La Boheme," one of Puccini's most performed operas, premiered in Turin, Italy in February 1896 and was conducted by a youthful Arturo Toscanini. The U.S. premiere took place in Los Angeles in 1897.
This episode takes place in 1899.
Advertisements for the upcoming performance of 'La Bohème' can be seen in the background of the previous episode, War on Terror (2012).
Inspector Brackenreid makes a comment about how, although La Bohème is Puccini's latest work, he believes it will be his most popular/enduring work. It does still remain a very popular opera, but may even be exceeded in popularity by its most well-known modern adaptation: the musical Rent.