Florentine makes tragic tale of love sing

Went to this entertaining and moving production of La Boheme last night. It uses one of opera's familiar and slightly implausible formulas: boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy gets girl, girl dies of consumption. As to the boy,

Four young "bohemians" (a poet, painter, a philosopher and a musician), share a dismal, decrepit garret in the Latin Quarter of Paris. The four are barely eking out an existence, choosing to pursue their dreams.

Why they can't hold jobs that at least pay for food and rent while pursuing their dreams is not spelled out.