 |
| Offenbach: The Tales of Hoffmann – Dorothee Bienert, Jason Kim – Oldenburgisches Staatstheater |
Offenbach: The Tales of Hoffmann: Jason Kim, Dorothee Bienert, Penelope Kendros, Adréana Kraschewski, Raffaela Lintl, Eleonora Fabrizi, Seungweon Lee, dir: Angela Denoke; cond: Vito Cristofaro; Oldenburgisches Staatstheater, Oldenburg, Germany
Reviewed 4 Could 2025
A manufacturing that definitely punched above its weight, Angela Denoke & Vito Cristofaro get a lot proper, with an ardent Hoffmann from Jason Kim
Offenbach’s The Tales of Hoffmann is such a minefield that there are a lot of methods a director can fall foul. It’s definitely not a type of works that performs itself. Even past the editorial nightmare that the work represents [see my article ‘A fascinating conundrum’], there’s the truth that Offenbach habitually over wrote, creating an excessive amount of materials and reducing and shaping on the final minute. So, if we’ve a musically passable version (a giant ask within the first place), we then should create a satisfying dramatic construction.
We caught The Tales of Hoffmann on the Oldenburgisches Staatstheater partly as a result of our vacation itinerary enabled us too. It happened within the Oldenburg State Theatre, in-built 1893 because the Grand Ducal Courtroom Theatre and most just lately renovated in 1998. It’s a small, however completely shaped constructing seating one thing over 500. However the efficiency was certainly a welcome deal with with a positive hand each when it comes to route and conducting.
The manufacturing debuted on 26 April 2025 and we caught the efficiency on 4 Could 2025. The director was Angela Denoke, the soprano who has just lately added route to her credit, and the conductor was Vito Cristofaro. Jason Kim was Hoffmann with Dorothee Bienert as Niklausse/Muse, Penelope Kendros as Olympia, Adréana Kraschewski as Giulietta, Raffaela Lintl as Antonia, Eleonora Fabrizi as Stella, Seungweon Lee because the 4 villains, Seumas Beggg because the 4 comedian tenor roles, Arthur Bruce as Schlemihl, Johannes Leander Maaas as Spalanzani and Nathanael, Irakli Atanelishbili as Lutter and Crespel. Designs have been by Susana Mendoza with choreography by Fabio Toraldo.
 |
| Offenbach: The Tales of Hoffmann – Jason Kim, Penelope Kendros, Dorothee Bienert, Seungweon Lee – Oldenburgisches Staatstheater |
The programme guide was imprecise as to precisely what we have been listening to although Schott’s (publishers of the newest version from Kaye & Keck) have been credited and certainly textually this was some of the passable variations that I’ve seen in a very long time with a particularly convincing Giuilietta act. There have been discreet cuts, we received relatively much less of the scholars (fortunately) than normal. However the excellent Niklausse/Muse of Dorothee Bienert benefited from an expansive model of her position.
Within the pit, Vito Cristofaro drew keen enjoying from the orchestra and he had a positive hand with the music. The opera comique Offenbach was to the fore and this efficiency had admirable tempo allied to litheness and liveliness. There was no grand opera portentousness so the work by no means sagged.
Susanna Mendoza’s designs have been largely trendy with a easy but efficient set. However costuming was admirably lavish and there was a captivating golden age Hollywood contact to the feminine costumes. Dorothee Bienert’s Niklausse/Muse was Katherine Hepburn-like with a superbly tailor-made swimsuit, while Penelope Kendros’ Olympia resembled Marilyn Monroe in Gents Favor Blondes, and Adreana Kraschewsk’s Giulietta hinted at Rita Hayworth’s Gilda
Denoke refocused the plot on Hoffmann and Niklausse’s relationship, Niklausse being a she and Hoffmann taking his time to find her love. The scholars have been extra like a disturbing males’s consuming membership. Olympia was one thing of a intercourse image who broke freed from the mould, while within the Giulietta act, Niklausse had a Sapphic flirtation with Giulietta. All changes helped to resolve issues inherent within the opera’s dramaturgy.
Jason Kim made an ardent, considerably self-absorbed Hoffmann, passionate but oblivious to Dorothee Bienert’s Niklausse. Kim managed to make Hoffmann much less of an fool than normal and blended fantastic thing about tone with a ardour that verged on the heroic on this comparatively compact theatre.
Dorothee Bienert was merely spectacular as Niklausse. Tall and self-possessed she had an enviable flexibility of tone and and method to Offenbach’s music that did full justice to the combination of opera comique lightness and seriousness. Above all it was the suppleness of her her vocal line that impressed. For the Epilogue, she was given the spoken model of the Muse’s revelation, which I feel is probably the most transferring of the choices.
Penelope Kendros made a pointed, relatively naughty Olympia not a doll however a lady who exerted her independence and refused to suit the mould, taking the feminine refrain along with her! Rafaela Lintl was an enthralling, relatively passive Antonia, by no means fairly imbuing the character with sufficient simmering ardour to make the scene work. Andreana Kraschewska was a poised, refined Giulietta, benefitting from a extra substantial position and extra coherent plot than normal in order that she had actual dramatic enter. but, she additionally managed to make Giulietta mysterious and unknowable. Eleonora Fabrizi made an eloquent danced Stella, much more engaged in proceedings than normal and managing to make a major contribution alongside her sisters. For the Epilogue, Denoke had all of the totally different incarnations current on the identical time, totally different features of the identical, which justified the utilizing of 4 totally different performers.
Seugweon Lee was a vivid incarnation of the 4 villains. Showing considerably buttoned up at first, his Coppelius was properly mischievous, his Dr Miracle unusual and disturbing and his Dapertutto positively louche along with his lipstick and sparkly pink slippers (very Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz). Equally, his voice drew on a surprisingly flexibility in order that he efficiently encompassed the position’s darker low reaches and its difficult excessive writing.
Seumas Begg performed the 4 comedian roles, opening proceedings cleansing the stage and all through having a relatively separate stage persona, nearly breaking the fourth wall, significantly as his comedian aria from the Antonia act was used as an entracte with the assistance of Kendros’ Olympia and Fabrizi’s Stella. Arthur Bruce made a splendidly louche Schlemihl while Johannes Leander Maas turned in two very totally different characters as Spalanzani and Nathanael. The opposite roles have been equally properly taken with Irakli Atanelishvili as Lutter and Crespel, Marija Jokovic as a really current incarnation of Antonia’s Mom, plus Andreas Lutje as Wilhelm, Volker Rohnert as Wolfram and Stephen Foster as Herrmann,
The refrain entered into issues as with a will, whether or not it was the party-goers within the Olympia act or the louche, scantily clad revellers within the Giulietta act. Vocally they have been on enthusiastic type, however sadly had an inclination to not see eye to eye with Vito Cristofaro, displaying an inclination to sing behind the beat in quicker, extra complicated numbers.
The orchestra impressed, making the music fill the theatre but conserving the sensation of lightness and litheness, this was by no means a portentous Hoffmann. Total we loved the manufacturing immensely, as a result of Angelo Denoke’s understandable and dramatically revolutionary manufacturing was coupled with Vito Cristofaro’s positive really feel for the pacing and form of Offenbach’s music. Regardless of utilizing a comparatively full version, the work zipped alongside in the best way that grand opera Tales of Hoffmann usually don’t. The manufacturing doesn’t appear to be a co-production which is a disgrace because it deserves to be seen elsewhere.
The weblog is free, however I would be delighted in case you have been to point out your appreciation by shopping for me a espresso.
Elsewhere on this weblog
- Requiem A is far more influenced by Swans, Godspeed You! Black Emperor, & Sigur Rós: composer Sven Helbig in his new work – interview
- A dialog between similarities & variations: Jonathan Sells on his disc of Bruckner & Gesualdo with the Monteverdi Choir – interview
- The sheer pleasure of performing collectively: Music in Secondary Faculties Belief’s twelfth Annual Live performance – live performance evaluate
- Making connections between kinds & eras: violinist Holly Harman & associates launch their album Floor – live performance evaluate
- One thing of a revelation: forgotten songs by Robert Gund & William Grosz from Christian Immler & Helmut Deutsch – file evaluate
- A style discovering its means: Maurice Greene’s Jephtha reveals totally different English oratorio earlier than Handel consolidate the shape – file evaluate
- Greater than novelty worth: at Conway Corridor, the Zoffany Ensemble explores substantial nineteenth century French works for 9 devices – live performance evaluate
- Making a enjoyable time out in addition to broadening the thoughts: Jack Bazalgette on his first Cheltenham Music Competition as creative director – interview
- From RVW’s Sancta Civitas & Bliss’ The Beatitudes to Reich’s The Desert Music & Birtwistle’s Earth Dances, plus 19 premieres: the BBC Proms 2025
- Fierce virtuosity & sheer delight: oboist
Olivier Stankiewicz, soprano Lucy Crowe, violinist Maria Włoszczowska
& associates in a fascinating night of Bach, Zelenka, Handel, Vivaldi
– live performance evaluate - House
