0 ▁years ▁after ▁Pu cc ini ' s ▁opera . ▁Lar son ▁would ▁not ▁live ▁to ▁see ▁R ents ▁success ; ▁he ▁died ▁from ▁an ▁und i agn osed ▁a ort ic ▁an eur ys m ▁( bel ieved ▁to ▁have ▁resulted ▁from ▁Mar fan ▁synd rome ) ▁in ▁the ▁early ▁morning ▁of ▁January ▁ 2 5 , ▁ 1 9 9 6 . ▁Fri ends ▁and ▁family ▁gathered ▁at ▁the ▁New ▁York ▁Theatre ▁Work shop , ▁and ▁the ▁first ▁preview ▁of ▁R ent ▁became ▁a ▁sing - through ▁of ▁the ▁musical ▁in ▁Lar son ' s ▁memory . ▁ ▁The ▁show ▁premier ed ▁as ▁planned ▁and ▁quickly ▁gained ▁popular ity ▁fue led ▁by ▁enthus i astic ▁reviews ▁and ▁the ▁recent ▁death ▁of ▁its ▁composer . ▁It ▁proved ▁extremely ▁successful ▁during ▁its ▁Off - B road way ▁run , ▁s elling ▁out ▁all ▁its ▁shows ▁at ▁the ▁ 1 5 0 - se at ▁New ▁York ▁Theater ▁Work shop . ▁ ▁Due ▁to ▁such ▁over wh el ming ▁popular ity ▁and ▁a ▁need ▁for ▁a ▁larger ▁the ater , ▁R ent ▁moved ▁to ▁Broadway ' s ▁then - under - ren ov ation ▁Nederland er ▁Theatre ▁on ▁ 4 1 st ▁Street ▁on ▁April ▁ 2 9 , ▁ 1 9 9 6 . ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁production ' s ▁request , ▁final ▁touch es ▁on ▁the ▁the ater ' s ▁rem od eling ▁and ▁renov ation ▁were ▁put ▁on ▁hold ▁before ▁and ▁during ▁the ▁run ▁of ▁" R ent " ▁because ▁the