"The Tales of Hoffmann," which opens at the Seattle Opera on Saturday, May 7, has a rich and colorful history, locally and generally.
Composed by Jacques Offenbach, the opera had its Seattle première in 1970 with John Alex-ander and Joan Suth-erland in the leads. The 1980 production starred Dennis Bailey and Ashley Putnam. Both productions were in the era when Seattle Opera was under the artistic directorship of Glynn Ross, who put Seattle on the map as the Ring Capital of the U.S., and also presented two productions of each opera, one in English and one in the language of the composer. In Speight Jenkins' time there was a production in 1990. I attended them all and am eagerly looking forward to the new production.
I have fond memories of the 1980 production. We were entertaining VIP guests from England who had just arrived on British Airways, bringing with them a collection of antique Scottish ceremonial daggers and small swords, which were brought on board in their hand luggage for a display at the Seattle Art Museum. Both they and their baggage had been given VIP treatment during their travels; how times have changed!
Jacques Offenbach (1819-1880) took the name of his birthplace in Germany as his nom de plume. His niche was satire, and most of his many lighthearted contributions to the Parisian stage were pointed comments on political and social events of the period. To allow his satirical penchant full rein, Offenbach in 1855 formed a syndicate to open the Théâtre des Bouffe-Parisiens under his own management. By 1875 he had composed 90 operettas, for many of which the French playwright and novelist Ludovic Halevy wrote librettos. Among these were "Orphée aux Enfers," "La Vie Parisienne" and "La Grande Duchesse de Gerolstein," as well as "Bluebeard" and "La Perichole," both presented by Seattle Opera in the past. Offen-bach also composed the music for the Can-Can, the signature tune of light French music.
And yet Offenbach always had aspirations to compose a serious opera. These culminated in "The Tales of Hoffmann," an opera in four acts glorifying the arts and shot through with all the romanticism, myth and magic of the 19th century. During the six years it took him to complete his masterpiece, Offenbach modified the score for three different prospective companies. When finally the Opéra-Comique agreed to preview the work, Offenbach had to rewrite the score to meet the demands of the impresario Leon Car-valho, notorious for meddling with the music. Unfortunately Offenbach died in 1880 and did not live long enough to make all the changes.
"The Tales of Hoffmann" opened in Paris in 1881, just four months after the composer's death, with Ernest Guiraud completing the work. It's interesting to note that the famous "Barcarolle" was not included. There have been many presentations of the opera since 1881, and its direction has undergone many changes. But the music remains with all its magical mysticism, lyrical love songs and comic ballads.
"The Tales of Hoffmann" was based on a novel by an extremely interesting character, a genius with a taste for drugs and alcohol. Ernst Theodor Wilhelm Hoffmann (1776-1822), the German poet, writer, illustrator, lawyer and composer, studied law and became a judge of the Court of Appeals in Berlin. His works of fiction were among the most influential pro-duced by the Romantic movement in German literature. They combine the grotesque and supernatural with powerful psychological realism. Although most of his books are now forgotten, he is still remembered for the fantastic story used by Offenbach for his opera.
The story starts with the prologue: In the foyer of an opera house, Hoffmann's Muse (who later becomes Nicklausse, his guardian angel) invites the spirits of wine and beer to help her win Hoffmann's love away from Stella, the opera diva. The poet, while drinking with his friend Nicklausse and waiting for a new lover, Stella, tells the stories of his thwarted love affairs. In every encounter, a sinister figure becomes his nemesis.
In the first story, Hoffmann falls in love with Olympia, whom he takes for the daughter of the inventor Spalanzani. In reality, Olympia is a singing doll created by Coppélius and Spa-lanzani. The mad scientist Coppélius sells Hoff-mann a pair of rose-colored glasses that make the poet see Olympia as human. Spalanzani and Coppélius haggle over the doll, the latter claiming that he owns her eyes. During the quarrel, Olympia is destroyed by Coppélius.
In the second story, Hoffmann courts Antonia, a fragile girl sheltered from the world by her father. Although Hoffmann pursues Antonia to Munich, Nicklausse counsels his friend against the affair and asks Hoffmann to devote himself to his art. Antonia falls under the influence of the evil Dr. Miracle, who treated her mother on the day of her death. Miracle makes the portrait of Antonia's mother seemingly come to life and implore the girl to sing. Antonia sings until she collapses and dies.
The last story takes place in Venice, where Hoffmann meets Giulietta, a courtesan. Nick-lausse warns Hoffman against her. Hoffmann declares that if he falls in love the devil may have his soul, but he can't resist the charming Giulietta. Overhearing his rash promise, the sorcerer Dapertutto gives Giulietta a magic mirror to steal Hoffmann's soul. Trying to recover the mirror, Hoffmann fights a duel with Schlemil, another of Giulietta's lovers, and kills him. Giulietta abandons Hoffmann and sails away with the dwarf Pittichinaccio.
In the epilogue, Nicklausse, after hearing these stories, points out that all the girls are manifestations of Hoffmann's latest love, Stella. When Stella arrives at the tavern and sees Hoffmann's drunken state, she picks his rival, Lindorf, for her lover. Nicklausse consoles Hoffmann with the wisdom that his unlucky experiences will make him a great poet. Hoffmann passes out, and the Muse of Poetry claims him for her own.
The Seattle Opera's 2005 production of "The Tales of Hoffmann" is a completely new one. Conductor Dean Williamson, making his Seattle Opera main stage debut, has adapted the score to comply as nearly as possible with Offenbach's original intentions. Stage director Chris Alex-ander and scenic designer Robert Dahlstrom - the team that gave us the fabulous 2004 "Ariadne auf Naxos" - have set the scene in the opera house, but not in any one time period. The audience may see a hi-tech factory/laboratory in the Olympia sequence and very Gilded Age theater boxes in the next act's tale of Antonia. Giulietta's Venice was designed to be both very beautiful and obviously fake (something of a reflection of the characters in this act), with one of the initial ideas to show the scenic framing behind a profile gondola, making it clear to the audience that Giulietta is escaping not in a real boat but rather a stage prop.
The creative team includes German costume designer Marie-Theresa Cramer, whose inspira-tions range from the original book by E.T.A. Hoffmann to the silent film classic "Metropolis." Hoffmann, a very demanding role for the tenor, who is on the stage the whole time, will be sung by Vinson Cole; Olympia, by Harolyn Blackwell; and the three villains, by John Relyea - excellent singers all.
May I suggest that you become part of that audience? Arrive early and attend one of the informative and delightful previews by Perry Lorenzo. Enjoy the performance with English captions so that you know what it's all about. And finally, avoid the traffic by attending a question-and-answer period after the performance with Speight Jenkins himself.
Student tickets are available for $15 on May 22. For ticket information, contact the Seattle Opera at 389-7676 or toll free at 800-426-1619.
TTFN!
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