opera Offenbach's The Tales of Hoffmann John Schlesinger (stage director), Evelino Pidò (conductor) – With Vittorio Grigòlo (Hoffmann), Thomas Hampson (Lindorf et al.), Sonya Yoncheva (Antonia), Christine Rice (Giulietta), and Sofia Fomina (Olympia)

John Schlesinger (stage director), Evelino Pidò (conductor) – With Vittorio Grigòlo (Hoffmann), Thomas Hampson (Lindorf et al.), Sonya Yoncheva (Antonia), Christine Rice (Giulietta), and Sofia Fomina (Olympia)

Offenbach's The Tales of Hoffmann John Schlesinger (stage director), Evelino Pidò (conductor) – With Vittorio Grigòlo (Hoffmann), Thomas Hampson (Lindorf et al.), Sonya Yoncheva (Antonia), Christine Rice (Giulietta), and Sofia Fomina (Olympia)

About

“An extraordinary work...insanely sumptuous, near-definitive…” exclaimed The Independent in 1980 about Oscar-winning film director John Schlesinger’s recent production of The Tales of Hoffmann. In 2016, this revival production passed any test of comparison to the original production with flying colors, featuring a spectacular cast of stars (including Vittorio Grigòlo, Thomas Hampson, and Sonya Yoncheva) who together brought to life the many fascinating characters of Hoffman’s three autobiographical tales, all set in a typical 19th-century German tavern.

Jacques Offenbach composed the score of this "fantastical opera" during the last ten years of his life and left it unfinished: its 1880 premiere included numerous modifications, with each successive production following in that mold until eventually a definitive version entered the operatic canon. Offenbach considered the opera his musical testament, suffusing it with lush melodies that remain unsurpassed to this day.

Cast

John Schlesinger | Stage director
Daniel Dooner | Revival director
William Dudley | Set designer
Maria Björnson | Costume designer
David Hersey | Lighting designer
Eleanor Fazan | Choreographer
William Hobbs | Fight director
Simon Johns | Revival fight director

Vittorio Grigolo | Hoffmann
Thomas Hampson | Lindorf/Coppélius/Dappertutto/Miracle
Sofia Fomina | Olympia
Christine Rice | Guilietta
Sonya Yoncheva | Antonia
Kate Lindsey | Nicklausse
Christophe Mortagne | Spalanzani
Eric Halfvarson | Crespel
Vincent Ordonneau | Andrès/Cochenille/Pittichinaccio/Frantz
Catherine Carby | Spirit of Antonia's Mother
David Junghoon Kim | Nathanael
Charles Rice | Hermann
Yuriy Yurchuk | Schlemil
Jeremy White | Luther
Olga Sabadoch | Stella

Royal Opera Chorus
William Spaulding | Chorus director

Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden
Evelino Pidò | Conductor

Program

Jacques Offenbach, The Tales of Hoffmann
- I (Prologue): Prelude and Introduction - "Glou, glou, glou" (Chorus)
- I (Prologue): "Le conseilleur Lindorf, morbleu!" (Lindorf, Nicklausse, Andres)
- I (Prologue): "Voyons "Pour Hoffmann" Bon!" (Lindorf)
- I (Prologue): "L'entr'acte commence ..." (Luther, Chorus, Hermann, Nathanaël)
- I (Prologue): "Vive Dieu! mes amis..." (Nathanaël, Chorus, Hermann, Lindorf, Luther, Hoffmann, Nicklausse)
- I (Prologue): "Notte e giorno mal dormire...Il était une fois à la cour d'Eisenach" (Nicklausse, Hoffmann, Herman, Nathanaël, Chorus)
- I (Prologue): "À la bonne heure au moins!..." (Nicklausse, Hoffmann, Hermann, Lindorf, Chorus)
- I (Prologue): "Je vous dit, moi, qu'un malheur ma menace" (Hoffmann, Lindorf, Nathanaël, Hermann, Chorus, Nicklausse, Luther)
- II: "Là! dors en paix" (Spalanzani, Hoffmann, Cochenille)
- II: "Allons! courage et confiance" (Hoffmann, Nicklausse)
- II: "C'est moi, Coppelius" (Coppelius, Nicklausse, Hoffman)
- II: "Hein! Vous? Ce cher maître!..." (Spalanzani, Coppelius, Hoffmann, Cochenile)
- II: "Non aucun hôte vraiment" (Chorus, Spalanzani, Nicklausse, Hoffmann, Cochenille, Voix de Basse)
- II: "Les oiseaux dans la charmille" (Olympia, Chorus)
- II: "Ah! mon ami! quel accent!" (Hoffmann, Nicklausse, Spalanzani, Chorus, Olympia, Cochenille)
- II: "Ils se sont éloignés enfin !...Ah ! vivre deux" (Hoffmann, Olympia)
- II: "Tu me fuis? .....Oui, pauvres fous" (Hoffmann, Nicklausse, Coppelius, Spalanzani, Cochenille, Olympia, Chorus)
- II: "Est-il mort?" (Nicklausse, Spalanzani, Chorus, Cochenille, Hoffmann, Coppelius)
- III: "Belle nuit, ô nuit d'amour" (Nicklausse, Giulietta, Chorus)
- III: "Et moi, ce n'est pas là, pardieu!...Amis l'amour tendre et rêveur" (Hoffmann, Chorus, Schlémil, Giuletta, Pittichinaccio)
- III: "Scintille, diamant!" (Dapertutto)
- III: "Cher ange!" (Dapertutto, Giulietta)
- III: "Vous me quittez?...O Dieu de quelle ivresse" (Giulietta, Hoffmann)
- III: "Schlémil!...J'en étais sûr!" (Giulietta, Schlémil, Hoffmann, Pittichinaccio, Dapertutto, Nicklausse)
- III: "Hélas! mon cœur s'égare encore!" (Septuor)
- III: "Ecoutez, messieurs!" (Hoffmann, Dapertutto, Giulietta, Nicklausse, Schlémil, Pittichinaccio, Chorus)
- IV: "Elle a fui, la tourterelle" (Antonia)
- IV: "Malheureuse enfant..." (Crespel, Antonio, Frantz)
- IV: "Frantz!... c'est ici!" (Hoffmann, Frantz, Nicklausse)
- IV: "Vois sous l'archet frémissant" (Hoffmann, Nicklausse)
- IV: "C'est une chanson...Ah! J'ai le bonheur dans l'âme" (Hoffmann, Nicklausse, Antonia)
- IV: "Pourtant, ô ma fiancée...C'est une chanson d'amour" (Hoffmann, Antonia)
- IV: "Qu'as-tu donc?" (Hoffmann, Antonia, Crespel, Frantz, Miracle)
- IV: "Pour conjurer le danger" (Miracle, Hoffmann, Crespel, Le Voix d'Antonia)
- IV: "Ne plus chanter! Hélas!" (Hoffmann, Antonia)
- IV: "Tu ne chantera plus?" (Miracle, Antonia)
- IV: "Ta mère? Oses-tu l'invoquer?...Chère enfant..." (Miracle, La mère d'Antonia, Antonia)
- IV: "Mon enfant! ma fille! Antonia!" (Finale) (Crespel, Antonia, Hoffmann, Nicklausse, Miracle)
- V (Epilogue): "Voilà quelle fut l'histoire de mes amours..." (Hoffmann, Luther, Lindorf, Nathanaël, Nicklausse, Chorus)
- V (Epilogue): "Vous permettez, Madame!..Pardon! Kleinzach est incomplet..."(Lindorf, Hoffmann, Andres, Chorus)