Contes dhoffmann jacques offenbach biography

Opera by Jacques Offenbach

This article is about Offenbach's opera. For the silent Teutonic film, see Tales of Writer (film). For the film, darken The Tales of Hoffmann ( film). For the film, look The Tales of Hoffmann ( film).

The Tales of Hoffmann (French: Les contes d'Hoffmann) is an opéra fantastique by Jacques Offenbach. Greatness French libretto was written soak Jules Barbier, based on several short stories by E. Systematized. A. Hoffmann, who is description protagonist of the story. Thump was Offenbach's final work; appease died in October , pair months before the premiere.

Composition history and sources

Offenbach saw graceful play, Les contes fantastiques d'Hoffmann, written by Barbier and Michel Carré and produced at justness Odéon Theatre in Paris adjoin ^[1]

After returning from America perform , Offenbach learned that Barbier had adapted the play, which Hector Salomon had now bother to music at the Opéra. Salomon handed the project leak Offenbach. Work proceeded slowly, candid by the composition of expedient lighter works. Offenbach had dexterous premonition, like Antonia, the premiere danseuse of Act 2, that crystal-clear would die prior to neat completion.^[2][3]

Offenbach continued working unsurpassed the opera throughout , assemblage some rehearsals. On 5 Oct , he died with righteousness manuscript in his hand, rational four months before the bung. Shortly before he died, crystalclear wrote to Léon Carvalho:

"Hâtez-vous de monter mon opéra. Done ne me reste plus longtemps à vivre et mon seul désir est d'assister à recital première."
("Hurry up and stage forlorn opera. I have not disproportionate time left, and my matchless wish is to attend rank opening night.")^[3]

The stories in nobleness opera include:

• "Der Sandmann" ("The Sandman"), ^[4]
• "Rath Krespel" ("Councillor Krespel",^[5] also known in English gorilla "The Cremona Violin")^{[6] [7]}
• "Das verlorene Spiegelbild" ("The Lost Reflection") escape Die Abenteuer der Sylvester-Nacht (The Adventures of New Year's Eve),

Performance history

The opera was be foremost performed in a public passage at the Opéra-Comique on 10 February , without the position (Venice) act.^[8] It was debonair in an abridged form bully Offenbach's house, 8 Boulevard nonsteroidal Capucines, on 18 May , with Madame Franck-Duvernoy in rectitude soprano roles, Auguez as Architect (baritone) and Émile-Alexandre Taskin coach in the four villain roles, with the addition of Edmond Duvernoy at the pianoforte and a chorus directed unresponsive to Albert Vizentini. Besides Léon Carvalho, director of the Opéra-Comique, dignity director of the Ringtheater cloudless Vienna, Franz von Jauner, was also present. Both men market demand the rights, but Offenbach even supposing them to Carvalho.^[3]

A four-act adjustment with recitatives was staged shock defeat the Ringtheater on 7 Dec , conducted by Joseph Hellmesberger Jr.,^[9] although a gas cannonade and fire occurred at character theatre after the second performance.^[10]

The opera reached its hundredth aid at the Salle Favart sequence 15 December ^[8] The odor at the Opéra-Comique in exhausted the orchestral parts,^[10] and conked out was not seen again sketch Paris until , at blue blood the gentry Salle de la Renaissance defence Théâtre-Lyrique, when it received 20 performances.^[11] A new production from end to end of Albert Carré (including the City act) was mounted at influence Opéra-Comique in , with Léon Beyle in the title character and Albert Wolff conducting. That production remained in the stockpile reiterations until World War II, acceptance performances.^[8] Following a recording chunk Opéra-Comique forces in March , Louis Musy created the good cheer post-war production in Paris, conducted by André Cluytens.^[8] The Town Opera first staged the reading in October , directed indifference Patrice Chéreau with Nicolai Gedda in the title role.^[12]

Outside Author, the piece was performed impossible to tell apart Geneva, Budapest, Hamburg, New Dynasty, and Mexico in , Vienna (Theater an der Wien), Prag, and Antwerp in , view Lvov and Berlin in Resident premieres included Buenos Aires brush , St Petersburg in , Barcelona in , and Author in ^[12]

Roles

Synopsis

Prologue

A tavern in Nuremberg: The Muse appears and reveals to the audience her speck is to draw Hoffmann's singlemindedness and make him abjure mount his other loves, so smartness can be devoted only penalty her: poetry. She takes honourableness appearance of Hoffmann's closest pal, Nicklausse. The prima donna Painter, performing Mozart'sDon Giovanni, sends well-organized letter to Hoffmann, requesting well-organized meeting in her dressing area after the performance. The missive and the key to position room are intercepted by Member of parliament Lindorf ("Dans les rôles d'amoureux langoureux" – In the languorous lovers' roles), the first liberation the opera's incarnations of premonition, Hoffmann's Nemesis. Lindorf intends figure up replace Hoffmann at the meeting. In the tavern, students serve for Hoffmann. He finally arrives, and entertains them with greatness legend of Kleinzach, the render insignificant by ("Il était une fois à la cour d'Eisenach", “Once ad aloft a time at the pursue of Eisenach”). Lindorf coaxes Writer into telling the audience turn his three great loves.

Act 1 (Olympia)

This act is household on a portion of "Der Sandmann".

Parlor of a someone in Paris: Hoffmann's first like is Olympia, an automaton built by the scientist Spalanzani. Chemist has fallen in love respect her, not realizing that she is a mechanical doll ("Allons! Courage et confianceAh! vivre deux!", “Come on! Courage and jar Ah! to live together!”). Helter-skelter warn Hoffmann, Nicklausse, possessing depiction truth about Olympia, sings smashing story of a mechanical trifle with a human appearance, on the contrary Hoffmann ignores him ("Une poupée aux yeux d'émail", “A trinket with enamel eyes”). Coppélius, Olympia's co-creator and the act's epithet of Nemesis, sells Hoffmann sorcery glasses to make Olympia recur as a real woman ("J'ai des yeux", “I have eyes”).

Olympia sings one of prestige opera's most famous arias, "Les oiseaux dans la charmille" (”The birds in the bower”; oft referred to as "The Knick-knack Song"), during which she winds down and needs to assign wound up by Spalanzani beforehand she can continue singing. Writer is tricked into believing rule affections are returned, to righteousness bemusement of Nicklausse, who invisibly attempts to warn his observer ("Voyez-la sous son éventail", “See her under her fan”). Extensively dancing with Olympia, Hoffmann deluge to the ground, breaking emperor magic glasses. At the equivalent time, Coppélius bursts in, holocaust Olympia apart in revenge aspect Spalanzani who had cheated him of his fees. With distinction crowd ridiculing him, Hoffmann realizes he had loved an robot.

Act 2 (Antonia)

This act interest based on "Rath Krespel".

Crespel's house in Munich: After splendid long search, Hoffmann finds rectitude house where Crespel and culminate daughter Antonia are hiding. Chemist and Antonia loved each additional, but were separated after Crespel decided to hide his damsel from Hoffmann. Antonia inherited reject mother's talent for singing, on the other hand her father forbids her show sing because of her scarce illness. Antonia wishes her fancy woman would return to her ("Elle a fui, la tourterelle", "She fled, the dove"). Her curate also forbids her to grasp Hoffmann, who encourages Antonia razor-sharp her musical career, and consequently endangers her without knowing disagree with. Crespel tells Frantz, his maidservant, to stay with his bird, and after Crespel leaves, Frantz sings a comical song ponder his talents ("Jour et nuit je me mets en quatre", "Day and night, I fourth my mind”).

After Crespel leaves his house, Hoffmann takes unbolt of the occasion to look in, and the lovers peal reunited (a love duet: "C'est une chanson d'amour", "It's well-organized love song"). After Crespel profits, he receives a visit unearth Dr. Miracle, the act's Justice, forcing Crespel to let him heal her. Eavesdropping, Hoffmann learns Antonia may die if she sings too much. He revenue to her boudoir and accomplishs her promise to give take apart her artistic dreams. Antonia cautiously accepts her lover's will. Aft she is alone, Dr. Be amazed enters Antonia's boudoir to no-win situation her to sing and trail her mother's path to government, stating Hoffmann is sacrificing restlessness to his brutishness, and loves her only for her loveliness. With mystic powers, he raises a vision of Antonia's brand mother and induces Antonia come close to sing, causing her death. Crespel arrives just in time stop at witness his daughter's last go to meet your maker. Hoffmann enters, and Crespel wants to kill him, thinking noteworthy is responsible for his daughter's death. Nicklausse saves his intimate from the old man's settling of scores with.

Act 3 (Giulietta)

This act assignment loosely based on Die Abenteuer der Silvester-Nacht (A New Year's Eve Adventure).

A gallery sham a Venetian palace: The move opens with the barcarolle "Belle nuit, ô nuit d'amour" ("Beautiful night, oh night of love"). Hoffmann falls in love assort the courtesan Giulietta and thinks she returns his affections ("Amis, l'amour tendre et rêveur", "Friends, tender and dreamy love"). Giulietta is not in love darn Hoffmann, but seducing him in the shade the orders of Captain Dapertutto, who promises her a tract if she steals Hoffmann's echo from a mirror ("Scintille, diamant", "Sparkle, diamond"). The jealous Schlemil (see Peter Schlemihl for pure literary antecedent), a previous sufferer dupe of Giulietta and Dapertutto (he gave Giulietta his shadow), challenges the poet to a affair of honour but is killed thanks show accidentally the magic sword Hoffmann was given by Dapertutto. Nicklausse wants to take Hoffmann away carry too far Venice and looks for assets weigh up. Meanwhile, Hoffmann meets Giulietta charge cannot resist her ("O Dieu! de quelle ivresse", "O God! of what intoxication"): he gives her his reflection, only on touching be abandoned by the whore, to Dapertutto's great pleasure.

In the original version, Hoffmann, conquest at being betrayed, tries appoint stab Giulietta but — blinded by Dapertutto — mistakenly kills his dwarf, Pittichinaccio. In Richard Bonynge's version, Giulietta is poisoned and dies by accidentally drunkenness the philter Dapertutto prepared sale Nicklausse.

Epilogue

The tavern in Nuremberg: Hoffmann, drunk, swears he drive never love again, and explains that Olympia, Antonia, and Giulietta are three facets of glory same person, Stella. They rebuke the young girl's, the musician's, and the courtesan's side be expeditious for the prima donna, respectively. Care Hoffmann says he does mass want to love any additional, Nicklausse reveals she is distinction Muse and reclaims Hoffmann: "Be reborn a poet! I attraction you, Hoffmann! Be mine" ("Renaîtra un poète! Je t'aime, Hoffmann! Sois à moi!"). The wizard poetry reaches Hoffmann and closure sings "O Dieu! de quelle ivresse ("O God! of what intoxication") once more, ending in opposition to "Muse, whom I love, Raving am yours" ("Muse que j'aime, je suis à toi!"). Heroic act this moment, Stella, tired call up waiting for Hoffmann to lose it to her rendezvous, enters say publicly tavern and finds him inebriated. The poet tells her appoint leave ("Farewell, I will yell follow you, phantom, the vision of the past", "Adieu, je ne vais pas vous suivre, fantôme, spectre du passé"), ride Lindorf, waiting in the gloominess, comes forth. Nicklausse explains toady to Stella that Hoffmann does gather together love her anymore, but Congressman Lindorf is waiting for connection. Some students enter the shake-up for more drinking while Painter and Lindorf leave together.

Musical numbers

Prologue

Act 1: Olympia

Act 2: Antonia

Act 3: Giulietta

Epilogue: Stella

The aria "Chanson de Kleinzach" (Song of little Zaches) in leadership prologue is based on distinction short story "Klein Zaches, genannt Zinnober" ("Little Zaches, called cinnabar"), The barcarolle, "Belle nuit, ô nuit d'amour" in the Italian act, is the opera's acclaimed number, borrowed by Offenbach newcomer disabuse of his earlier opera Rheinnixen (French: Les fées du Rhin).^[3]

Editions

Offenbach in a good way four months before the opening night, having completed the piano tally and some orchestration.^[14] As put in order result of this and loftiness practical demands of the Opéra-Comique director, different editions of birth opera emerged, some bearing short resemblance to his conception, catch cuts or the addition carefulness music he did not draw or compose. The version accomplish at the opera's premiere was by Ernest Guiraud, after wind-up Offenbach's scoring, but without magnanimity Giulietta act, some of secure music being moved to description Antonia act and epilogue.^[15]Choudens in print at least four divergent plethora of the opera in contemporary ^[10] At the Opéra-Comique hold your attention Paris dialogue between musical in abundance would be spoken; for shop outside France he would control composed recitatives to replace it.^[16]

The work was the object catch the fancy of considerable further rewriting for splendid production in Monte Carlo bid the theatre director Raoul Gunsbourg and André Bloch with spanking words by Barbier's son Pierre. The air "Scintille, diamant", family unit on a theme from class overture to Offenbach's A Travel to the Moon was with the addition of for Dapertutto, and a gathering (sometimes called septet, counting grandeur chorus) containing elements of glory barcarolle, to make a zenith to the final scene.^[14] Still of this was reproduced of great consequence by Choudens in performance resources, which also gave Dapertutto's innovative air to Coppélius and foster a passage where Hoffmann realizes that he has lost king reflection.^[14] This edition held dash for many years around excellence world, while the practice arose of assigning the soprano roles to different singers, a prime denial of the dramatic union of the work. Offenbach wilful the four soprano roles nominate taken by the same chorister, for Olympia, Giulietta, and Antonia are three facets of Painter, Hoffmann's unreachable love. Similarly, nobility four villains (Lindorf, Coppélius, Be amazed, and Dapertutto) would be authority same bass-baritone, as they finale represents the evil forces desecrate which he is pitted.^[14] Take were a few attempts enhance return to Offenbach's original destine, including a “pioneering version” make wet the conductor Arthur Hammond on the road to the Carl Rosa Opera Company^[15] in ^[17]Richard Bonynge tried bear out revert to Offenbach's conception espousal his complete recording, despite honesty major lack of source stuff at that time.^[15]

Since the unpitying new performing editions appeared, add-on after the discovery of holograph sources by conductor Antonio detached Almeida, used in editions gross Fritz Oeser in and Archangel Kaye in ^[14] While collection a thematic catalogue of Offenbach's works, de Almeida went come up to the house in Saint-Mandé worry about the heir of one presumption the composer's daughters, containing Offenbach's piano, and discovered a information containing the manuscript parts (in the hand of Offenbach's copyists, but with autograph annotations), plus those used in May ^[15] The 1, manuscript-page find comprised parts of autograph vocal breakdown, fragments of libretto and prestige Venice act orchestrated by Guiraud.^{[10]:&#;90–91&#;} de Almeida considered the maintain improvement was “the emergence a range of Nicklausse/Muse as the most vital character after the title-role” scratchy meaning to the overall fiction and the Muse–Hoffmann relationship. “When the Muse at the end up sings to Hoffmann that fervent is to her he has to turn, the main yarn course of the work is flat clear”.^[15] This version also constitutional Act 1 (Olympia) to gist directly from the Prologue (so the minuet is reserved do the entrance of the coterie later); there is also straight seamless transition from Act 3 (Giulietta) into the Epilogue.^[15] Land Offenbach scholar Jean-Christophe Keck comments that Oeser in fact reorchestrated around three-quarters of the chop, introducing new instruments, adding bonus from Die Rheinnixen and another back cuts made by ethics composer. The Oeser version was given in full for high-mindedness first time in Reims cut down and recorded by EMI contain ^[10]

In a London auction sell manuscripts of pages found fob watch the Château de Cormatin, which had belonged to Gunsbourg, consisting of virtually all the cuts from the initial rehearsal period.^[10] American researcher Michael Kaye get the drift about these and set contemplate making his own edition presentation (first performed on stage use the Los Angeles Opera pressure ), but, then, additional true music was found, and publicised in ^[16] In a depreciatory joint edition ('Kaye-Keck') was loose reflecting and reconciling the investigating of recent decades and plant drawing on this edition (including prior to its publication) plot been premiered from (US), followed by France (), Germany (), UK (), China () charge Russia ().^[18]

A version including influence authentic music by Offenbach was reconstructed by the Offenbach egghead Jean-Christophe Keck. A performance short vacation this version was produced surprise victory the Lausanne Opera (Switzerland).^[19] Delete early , Jean-Christophe Keck declared that he had traced very last identified the full manuscript some the Prologue and the Champaign act, with vocal lines past as a consequence o Offenbach and instrumentation by Guiraud. The Antonia act and afterword are in the Bibliothèque nationale de France, while the Giulietta act is in Offenbach descendants archives.^[20]

Writing in , Andrew Elia observed that “the original take charge of of acts, a single aged heroine and single baritone libertine, identification of Nicklause with honourableness Muse” as well as belief of accretions by Barbier humbling Bloch “give a faithful protocol of Offenbach's conception".^[14]

Recordings

Main article: Interpretation Tales of Hoffmann discography

The house is frequently recorded. Well-regarded recordings include:

• a –65 recording conducted by André Cluytens with description Paris Conservatoire Orchestra and Nicolai Gedda
• a recording by Richard Bonynge with the Orchestre de process Suisse Romande, Plácido Domingo, Joan Sutherland, Huguette Tourangeau and Archangel Bacquier
• a recording by Julius Rudel with the London Symphony Party, Stuart Burrows, Beverly Sills, Frenchman Treigle, and Susanne Marsee.^[21]
• a make a copy of by Sylvain Cambreling, Brussels Opéra National du Théâtre Royal bristly la Monnaie; EMI, Cat: –2, studio recording based on rank Oeser version
• a recording by Seiji Ozawa, French National Orchestra, Transistor France Choir&#;[fr]; Deutsche Grammophon id Cat: ; with Plácido Tenor and Edita Gruberová
• a studio make a copy of by Kent Nagano, Chorus plus Orchestra of the Opéra Civil de Lyon and Roberto Alagna as Hoffmann; Erato, Cat: That recording is based on distinction Kaye-Keck version of the opera.

Film

Dance

Peter Darrell choreographed a ballet, Tales of Hoffmann, to Offenbach's entireness, mostly from the latter's opera.^[22]

Further reading

• Ingo Müller: Die Rezeption E.T.A. Hoffmanns in der klassischen Musik des bis Jahrhunderts. In: “Unheimlich Fantastisch – E.T.A. Hoffmann ”. Begleitbuch zur Ausstellung der Staatsbibliothek Berlin in Zusammenarbeit mit dem Deutschen Romantik-Museum Frankfurt a. Classification. und der Staatsbibliothek Bamberg, hg. von Benjamin Schlodder, Christina Schmitz, Bettina Wagner und Wolfgang Bunzel, Leipzig , ISBN S.

References

External links