Les Contes d'Hoffmann

Les Contes d'Hoffmann, Jacques Offenbach's last opera, was intended to bring him recognition as a serious composer, but he died in 1880 before it was completed, and since then the world has seen various "finished" versions, each intended to be the “authentic” interpretation. This production adheres to the popular 1907 staging, comprised of three acts, framed by a prologue and epilogue, in which the drunken poet E.T.A. Hoffmann recalls his trio of ill-fated romances, each thwarted by an evil figure: the mechanical doll, Olympia, with her creator Coppélius as his nemesis; the consumptive singer Antonia and the villainous Dr. Miracle; and the courtesan Giulietta and the manipulative Dapertutto. The exceptional cast includes Neil Shicoff as Hoffmann, Bryn Terfel as Coppélius/Dr. Miracle/Dapertutto, Désirée Rancatore as Olympia, Ruth Ann Swenson as Antonia, and Béatrice Uria-Monzon as Giulietta, while the supporting roles and chorus are all beautifully performed and sung under the splendid guidance of Jesus Lopez-Cobos. With its crowd-pleasing music, and colorful, fantastical stories, Les Contes d'Hoffmann cries out for a pleasing presentation, but while not as bad as many other contemporary Eurotrash mountings of classic works, this is still an ugly production, with dark and cluttered sets, harsh production lighting, and gratuitous nudity. Still, if you can tolerate the clash of sensibilities here, there's much to enjoy in the singing/performances, presented here with DTS, Dolby Digital 5.1 and PCM stereo options. A strong optional purchase. Aud: C, P. (J. Reed)