Covent Garden
The Tales of Hoffmann
The Tales of Hoffmann
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Covent Garden, Central London | Opera | £13-£300
| What's On | Book |
7 November–1 December 2024
Address: Royal Opera House, Bow St, Covent Garden, London WC2E 9DD | Get Directions
Telephone: +44 20 7304 4000
Juan Diego Flórez and Leonardo Caimi lead a fantastic cast in Offenbach's dream-like opera.
A FANTASTICAL JOURNEY THROUGH MEMORY AND LOVE
Through the haze of the years, a poet remembers the women he loved. But when it comes to matters of the heart, nothing is as it seems. Particularly when the devil himself is involved…
Journeying back to his school days, Hoffmann relives his childhood romance with Olympia, a model student in every sense. Doomed love follows him into adulthood, where the dancer, Antonia, is taken from him too soon. Meanwhile, the sensual courtesan Giulietta has her own secret agenda. As memory and fantasy becomes increasingly blurred, will Hoffmann find the enigmatic Stella before it is too late?
Background
Olivier award-winning director Damiano Michieletto (Carmen, Cavalleria rusticana/Pagliacci) returns to The Royal Opera for a new production of Offenbach’s The Tales of Hoffmann. Conductor Antonello Manacorda, with whom Michieletto previously collaborated on Carmen, leads Juan Diego Flórez and Leonardo Caimi, who share the role of the poet E.T.A. Hoffmann, Alex Esposito as the Four Villains, Julie Boulianne as Nicklausse and Ermonela Jaho, Olga Pudova and Marina Costa-Jackson as Hoffmann’s unforgettable trio of lovers.
Popular tunes
Offenbach's best-known musical work may be the 'can-can', but The Tales of Hoffmann has its own fair share of popular tunes, including the lilting Barcarolle. Traditionally sung by Venetian gondoliers, Offenbach's take, ‘Belle nuit, ô nuit d’amour’ (Beautiful night, oh night of love), is a duet for soprano and mezzo-soprano, featuring the courtesan, Giulietta, and Hoffmann’s loyal companion, Nicklausse. Olympia’s Song is a dazzling showcase for the soprano voice at its most acrobatic. In the original opera libretto, she is a living doll who runs out of power part-way through her song, and requires ‘winding up’ to resume her performance.
Join us for Insights: The Tales of Hoffmann where cast and creatives discuss their interpretation of Offenbach's opera, based on three short stories by E.T.A. Hoffman.
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