The Tales of Hoffmann (French: ) is an by Jacques Offenbach. The French libretto was written by Jules Barbier, based on three short stories by E. T. A. Hoffmann, who is the protagonist of the story. It was Offenbach's final work; he died in October 1880, four months before the premiere.
Composition history and sources Offenbach saw a play, , written by Barbier and Michel Carré and produced at the Odéon Theatre in Paris in 1851.
After returning from America in 1876, Offenbach learned that Barbier had adapted the play, which Hector Salomon had now set to music at the Opéra. Salomon handed the project to Offenbach. Work proceeded slowly, interrupted by the composition of profitable lighter works. Offenbach had a premonition, like Antonia, the heroine of Act 2, that he would die prior to its completion.
Offenbach continued working on the opera throughout 1880, attending some rehearsals. On 5 October 1880, he died with the manuscript in his hand, just four months before the opening. Shortly before he died, he wrote to Léon Carvalho: ""("Hurry up and stage my opera. I have not much time left, and my only wish is to attend the opening night.")
The stories in the opera include:
"" ("The Sandman"), 1816."Der Sandmann" provided the impetus for the ballet libretto of Coppélia (1870) with music by Léo Delibes. "Rath Krespel" ("Councillor Krespel","Councillor Krespel" by E. T. A. Hoffmann, translated by Alexander Ewing also known in English as "The Cremona Violin")"The Cremona Violin" in Weird Tales, vol. 1, 1885, translated by John Thomas Bealby 1818.Lamb, Andrew "Jacques Offenbach". In: The New Grove Dictionary of Opera Macmillan, London and New York, 1997. "" ("The Lost Reflection") from Die Abenteuer der Sylvester-Nacht (The Adventures of New Year's Eve), 1814.
Performance history
The opera was first performed in a public venue at the Opéra-Comique on 10 February 1881, without the third (Venice) act. It was presented in an abridged form at Offenbach's house, 8 Boulevard des Capucines, on 18 May 1879, with Madame Franck-Duvernoy in the soprano roles, Auguez as Hoffmann (baritone) and Émile-Alexandre Taskin in the four villain roles, with Edmond Duvernoy at the piano and a chorus directed by Albert Vizentini. Besides Léon Carvalho, director of the Opéra-Comique, the director of the Ringtheater in Vienna, Franz von Jauner, was also present. Both men requested the rights, but Offenbach granted them to Carvalho.
A four-act version with recitatives was staged at the Ringtheater on 7 December 1881, conducted by Joseph Hellmesberger Jr., although a gas explosion and fire occurred at the theatre after the second performance.Keck, Jean-Christophe. "Genèse et Légendes." In: 235, Les Contes d'Hoffmann. Paris, 2006.
The opera reached its hundredth performance at the Salle Favart on 15 December 1881. The fire at the Opéra-Comique in 1887 destroyed the orchestral parts, and it was not seen again in Paris until 1893, at the Salle de la Renaissance du Théâtre-Lyrique, when it received 20 performances. A new production by Albert Carré (including the Venice act) was mounted at the Opéra-Comique in 1911, with Léon Beyle in the title role and Albert Wolff conducting. This production remained in the repertoire until World War II, receiving 700 performances. Following a recording by Opéra-Comique forces in March 1948, Louis Musy created the first post-war production in Paris, conducted by André Cluytens. The Paris Opera first staged the work in October 1974, directed by Patrice Chéreau with Nicolai Gedda in the title role."L'œuvre à l'affiche." In: 235, Les Contes d'Hoffmann. Paris, 2006.
Outside France, the piece was performed in Geneva, Budapest, Hamburg, New York, and Mexico in 1882, Vienna (Theater an der Wien), Prague, and Antwerp in 1883, and Lvov and Berlin in 1884. Local premieres included Buenos Aires in 1894, St Petersburg in 1899, Barcelona in 1905, and London in 1910.
Roles
RoleVoice typeVoice types as given in 235, Les Contes d'Hoffmann. Paris, 2006, p. 5.Premiere cast,10 February 1881(Conductor: Jules Danbé)Hoffmann, a poettenorJean-Alexandre TalazacThe musemezzo-sopranoZoé Molé-TruffierNicklausseMarguerite UgaldeLindorfbass-baritoneÉmile-Alexandre TaskinCoppéliusMiracleDapertuttoAndrèstenorPierre GrivotCochenilleFrantzPittichinaccioStella, a singersopranoAdèle IsaacOlympia, a mechanical or an animatronical dollAntonia, a young girlGiulietta, a courtesanVoice of Antonia's mothermezzo-soprano DupuisLutherbaritoneÉtienne TroySpalanzani, an inventortenorE. GourdonCrespel, Antonia's fatherbaritoneHippolyte BelhommePeter Schlémil, in love with GiuliettabaritoneNathanaël, a studenttenorChenevièresHermann, a studentbaritoneTesteWilhelm, a studentbass-baritoneCollinWolfram, a studenttenorPiccalugaStudents, Guests
Synopsis
Prologue
A tavern in Nuremberg: The Muse appears and reveals to the audience her purpose is to draw Hoffmann's attention and make him abjure all his other loves, so he can be devoted only to her: poetry. She takes the appearance of Hoffmann's closest friend, Nicklausse. The prima donna Stella, performing Mozart's Don Giovanni, sends a letter to Hoffmann, requesting a meeting in her dressing room after the performance. The letter and the key to the room are intercepted by Councillor Lindorf ("" – In the languid lovers' roles), the first of the opera's incarnations of evil, Hoffmann's Nemesis. Lindorf intends to replace Hoffmann at the rendezvous. In the tavern, students wait for Hoffmann. He finally arrives, and entertains them with the legend of Kleinzach, the dwarf ("", “Once upon a time at the court of Eisenach”). Lindorf coaxes Hoffmann into telling the audience about his three great loves.
Act 1 (Olympia)
This act is based on a portion of "Der Sandmann".
Parlor of a scientist in Paris: Hoffmann's first love is Olympia, an automaton created by the scientist Spalanzani. Hoffmann has fallen in love with her, not realizing that she is a mechanical doll ("", “Come on! Courage and trust... Ah! to live together!”). To warn Hoffmann, Nicklausse, possessing the truth about Olympia, sings a story of a mechanical doll with a human appearance, but Hoffmann ignores him ("", “A doll with enamel eyes”). Coppélius, Olympia's co-creator and the act's incarnation of Nemesis, sells Hoffmann magic glasses to make Olympia appear as a real woman ("", “I have eyes”).
Olympia sings one of the opera's most famous arias, "" (”The birds in the bower”; often referred to as "The Doll Song"), during which she winds down and needs to be wound up by Spalanzani before she can continue singing. Hoffmann is tricked into believing his affections are returned, to the bemusement of Nicklausse, who subtly attempts to warn his friend ("", “See her under her fan”). While dancing with Olympia, Hoffmann falls to the ground, breaking his magic glasses. At the same time, Coppélius bursts in, tearing Olympia apart in revenge against Spalanzani who had cheated him of his fees. With the crowd ridiculing him, Hoffmann realizes he had loved an automaton.
Act 2 (Antonia)
This act is based on "".
Crespel's house in Munich: After a long search, Hoffmann finds the house where Crespel and his daughter Antonia are hiding. Hoffmann and Antonia loved each other, but were separated after Crespel decided to hide his daughter from Hoffmann. Antonia inherited her mother's talent for singing, but her father forbids her to sing because of her mysterious illness. Antonia wishes her lover would return to her ("", "She fled, the dove"). Her father also forbids her to see Hoffmann, who encourages Antonia in her musical career, and therefore endangers her without knowing it. Crespel tells Frantz, his servant, to stay with his daughter, and after Crespel leaves, Frantz sings a comical song about his talents ("", "Day and night, I quarter my mind”).
After Crespel leaves his house, Hoffmann takes advantage of the occasion to sneak in, and the lovers are reunited (a love duet: "", "It's a love song"). After Crespel returns, he receives a visit from Dr. Miracle, the act's Nemesis, forcing Crespel to let him heal her. Eavesdropping, Hoffmann learns Antonia may die if she sings too much. He returns to her boudoir and makes her promise to give up her artistic dreams. Antonia reluctantly accepts her lover's will. After she is alone, Dr. Miracle enters Antonia's boudoir to persuade her to sing and follow her mother's path to glory, stating Hoffmann is sacrificing her to his brutishness, and loves her only for her beauty. With mystic powers, he raises a vision of Antonia's dead mother and induces Antonia to sing, causing her death. Crespel arrives just in time to witness his daughter's last breath. Hoffmann enters, and Crespel wants to kill him, thinking he is responsible for his daughter's death. Nicklausse saves his friend from the old man's vengeance.
Act 3 (Giulietta)
This act is loosely based on (A New Year's Eve Adventure).
A gallery in a Venetian palace: The act opens with the barcarolle "" ("Beautiful night, oh night of love"). Hoffmann falls in love with the courtesan Giulietta and thinks she returns his affections ("", "Friends, tender and dreamy love"). Giulietta is not in love with Hoffmann, but seducing him under the orders of Captain Dapertutto, who promises her a diamond if she steals Hoffmann's reflection from a mirror ("", "Sparkle, diamond"). The jealous Schlemil (see Peter Schlemihl for a literary antecedent), a previous victim of Giulietta and Dapertutto (he gave Giulietta his shadow), challenges the poet to a duel but is killed thanks to the magic sword Hoffmann was given by Dapertutto. Nicklausse wants to take Hoffmann away from Venice and looks for horses. Meanwhile, Hoffmann meets Giulietta and cannot resist her ("", "O God! of what intoxication"): he gives her his reflection, only to be abandoned by the courtesan, to Dapertutto's great pleasure.
In the original version, Hoffmann, furious at being betrayed, tries to stab Giulietta but — blinded by Dapertutto — mistakenly kills his dwarf, Pittichinaccio. In Richard Bonynge's version, Giulietta is poisoned and dies by accidentally drinking the philter Dapertutto prepared for Nicklausse.
Epilogue The tavern in Nuremberg: Hoffmann, drunk, swears he will never love again, and explains that Olympia, Antonia, and Giulietta are three facets of the same person, Stella. They represent the young girl's, the musician's, and the courtesan's side of the prima donna, respectively. After Hoffmann says he does not want to love any more, Nicklausse reveals she is the Muse and reclaims Hoffmann: "Be reborn a poet! I love you, Hoffmann! Be mine" (""). The magical poetry reaches Hoffmann and he sings " ("O God! of what intoxication") once more, ending with "Muse, whom I love, I am yours" (""). At this moment, Stella, tired of waiting for Hoffmann to come to her rendezvous, enters the tavern and finds him drunk. The poet tells her to leave ("Farewell, I will not follow you, phantom, the spectre of the past", ""), and Lindorf, waiting in the shadows, comes forth. Nicklausse explains to Stella that Hoffmann does not love her anymore, but Councillor Lindorf is waiting for her. Some students enter the room for more drinking while Stella and Lindorf leave together.
Musical numbers Prologue
1. Prélude. 2. Introduction et Couplets: "Glou! Glou!... La vérité, dit-on, sortait d'un puits" (La Muse, Chorus). 3. Récitatif: "Le conseiller Lindorf, morbleu!" (Lindorf, Andrès). 4. Couplets: "Dans les rôles d'amoureux langoureux" (Lindorf). 5. Scène et Choeur: "Deux heures devant moi... Drig, drig" (Lindorf, Luther, Nathanaël, Hermann, Wilhelm, Wolfram, Chorus). 6. Scène: "Vrai Dieu! Mes amis" (Hoffmann, Nicklausse, Lindorf, Luther, Nathanaël, Hermann, Wilhelm, Wolfram, Chorus). 7. Chanson: "Il était une fois à la cour d'Eisenach!" (Hoffmann, Lindorf, Luther, Nathanaël, Hermann, Wilhelm, Wolfram, Chorus).