For the reason that Salzburg Pageant is mounting solely the third manufacturing of their opera of their historical past this summer time, I innocently, and fairly foolishly, assumed I’d simply collect my collected recordings (numbering 9 in tutto…two simply added since I began researching) and movies (one other 5), placed on my rose-colored glasses, and skim by way of them in a reverie joyeux. Little did I think I’d be coming into into fight with a nine-headed Hydra and that the analysis gap I might fall into would rival the vastness and depth of the sewer system of Paris.
At first there was a play Les Contes Fantastiques d’Hoffmann by Jules Barbier and Michel Carré that used the author E. T. A. Hoffmann because the protagonist in his personal quick tales centered on three doomed romantic adventures. First, with the younger Olympia who’s a mechanical doll. Which all however the love-stricken Hoffmann can see. Then, the aspiring opera-singer Antonia whose bodily situation is so fragile she will be able to’t threat the hassle of the singing she so loves. Lastly, the Venetian courtesan Giulietta who tips Hoffmann out of his personal soul.
Monsieur Offenbach, after seeing the play, toyed with setting it to music till he found one other composer, Hector Solomon, who was certainly one of his personal rehearsal pianists and the person who organized a lot of his piano reductions (Judas!), was already engaged on it. Solomon relinquished the libretto ultimately and Hoffmann set to work adapting it first for the producers of the Theatre de la Gaîté, then the Opéra Nationwide Lyrique and eventually, the Opéra-Comique. Among the many many (many) modifications alongside the best way had been the title function being re-written to accommodate a tenor as an alternative of the initially meant baritone, the three main feminine roles tailor-made for a similar soprano (the apparently formidable Adele Isaac), and the Giulietta act moved geographically from Florence to Venice.
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It was mentioned Offenbach died with the rating in his hand, succumbing to coronary heart failure introduced on by gout, a mere 4 months earlier than the introduced premiere. The unfinished Giuletta act was dropped from the primary manufacturing and its greatest music sprinkled all through the rating on the opening evening. Thus started one of the vital sophisticated and protracted instances of opus interruptus within the historical past of the lyric theater.
Many arms (so many) have since tried to piece collectively efficiency editions together with initially Ernest Guiraud (who did an analogous service for Bizet’s Carmen after that composer’s premature demise) and the Choudens publishing home. Then Andre Bloch in 1903 for the Monte Carlo opera, later Tom Hammond of the Saddler’s Wells, and later nonetheless Richard Bonynge (in service of you-know-who). Within the 1970’s Fritz Oeser was given entry to hundreds of pages of extra supplies found by the Offenbach heirs. Nonetheless extra materials was found within the ‘80’s which is when Antionio de Almeida, Jean-Christophe Keck, and dearly departed parterre commenter Michael Kaye (QuantoPainyFakor) acquired concerned. So, Hoffmann has change into the proverbial field of operatic candies since if you tuck in, within the theatre or at house, you by no means know what you’re going to get.
Yours actually inadvertently noticed the premiere of the primary Kaye version on opening evening of the 1988 season of LA Opera with Placido Domingo and Julia Migenes-Johnson. I recall leaving being pretty incensed and stunned on the lack of each the nice Septet (not written by Offenbach and actually only a re-fashioning of the well-known ‘Barcarolle’) and the lack of the baritone’s huge aria ‘Scintille, diamant’ (ditto). Nonetheless, there wasn’t an indication within the foyer warning us that among the greatest bits shall be lacking. I do keep in mind that the massive trio within the Antonia act with Dr. Miracle and the Voix du Mere gave me gooseflesh within the theater.
Relating to recordings we will simply dispatch the primary high-profile EMI recording produced by Walter Legge in 1965 and led by Andres Cluytens. Nicolai Gedda does his greatest in opposition to three separate sopranos: Gianna D’Angelo (who’s dull-ish) as Olympia, Victoria de los Angeles (who struggles with Antonia’s tessitura – studies are she was un-well), and Elizabeth Schwartzkopf as an amoral and opportunistic lady of straightforward advantage (who’s miscast vocally). They additional complicate this enterprise by giving the function of Nicklausse to a baritone. I’m certain I don’t know what they had been pondering.
Sadly, throughout my analysis, I realized that this challenge had been meant for Maria Callas to sing all three heroines. Earlier than you get too excited, I’ll remind you that 1965 was the very tail finish of Madame’s profession, so maybe it’s greatest we (and she or he) had been spared. Nonetheless, in an earlier day, it could have been an ideal showcase.
Then now we have the justly celebrated Decca set from 1971 the place Bonynge, following Sadler’s Wells custom, eliminated the recitatives composed by Giuraud in favor of dialogue tailored from the unique play. It saves oodles of time, however then Offenbach’s deliberate ‘grand opéra fantastique’ reverts again to an opéra-comique when he had already written 100 of these. We’ve a heroine(s) in Joan Sutherland who manages to embody the vocal calls for of all three roles with relative ease. Unsurprisingly, she is the easiest Olympia of all (and there’s an alternate take of “Les oiseaux dans la charmille” on the ‘La Stupenda’ assortment taken at a dizzying tempo). She’s somewhat greater than you want for the weak Antonia however she, Gabriel Bacquier as Dr. Miracle, and Margarita Lilowa as her mom’s voix ship one of the best and most hair-raising trio of all. Sadly, within the Venetian act La Dame Joan feels like your maiden aunt within the dialogue. No vamp, she. Bacquier does very properly by all of the heavies and Huguette Tourangeau is a fruity Nicklausse.
That is the primary of 4 commercially launched recordings with Placido Domingo because the poet hero and he was solely 28 when it was made, which is spectacular on reflection. He’s brash and his French is ample, plus he’s additional sloppy on the romanticism. Hoffmann is an absolute bear for any tenor to sing as a result of any time he opens his mouth he by no means shuts up. The romanza part in the course of ‘Kleinzach’ is sort of a litmus check to indicate how the tenor in query will make it by way of the night.
Bonynge typically retains issues shifting along with his Orchestre de la Suisse Romande who’re French-adjacent however I wouldn’t name his studying particularly piquant. He re-orders the acts so Antonia is final below the willpower that it has one of the best music and downgrades the massive septet, dropped into the epilogue, right into a quartet with additional excessive notes pour Madame. A lot of the supporting forged speaks French which is a plus and so they have the easiest Andres/Cochenille/Pitichinaccio/Frantz within the nice Hugues Cuenod.
By some wild coincidence (slaps hand to cheek) the very subsequent yr a rival set was launched by Westminster starring America’s sweetheart Beverly Sills because the heroines and Norman Triegle because the man making an attempt to kill her. This additionally occurred to coincide with a model new manufacturing on the New York Metropolis Opera mounted for the 2 by Tito Capobianco and designed by Ming Cho Lee. Sadly, it’s somewhat like Hamlet with out the prince. Stuart Burrows is completely ample as Hoffmann, however nothing extra. The supporting forged is nearly all British and Julius Rudel leads the London Symphony Orchestra properly sufficient.
Ms. Sills said greater than as soon as that she wasn’t a ‘recording studio’ singer (some like it and a few don’t) and she or he proves it right here. She’s not unhealthy by any stretch, however if you hear the reside efficiency launched by VAI from New Orleans with Treigle and the Quebecois Tenor André Turp from 1964, you hear what you’re lacking. She wanted the thrill of an viewers. She additionally wanted to be the white-hot focal point apparently. In my exhaustive (I’m exhausted) analysis, I found that on the first run of that new NYCO manufacturing the opera ended with the Antonia act. No epilogue within the tavern. It was reinstated for the revival 3-years later (with out La Sills). Nonetheless, I ponder who broke the information to the tenor? Plus, I can’t think about that was Capobianco’s concept both.
Then, all of a sudden and inexplicably, the path went chilly. What with the delivery of digital sound and the report corporations speeding to re-record their complete catalogs, you’d by no means guess we needed to wait a complete 18-years – till 1988 – for an additional industrial launch. However the subsequent one was a doozy and on a whopping three discs (all of the earlier had been on two) with a 350 web page booklet as thick because the double jewel-case. This was the essential version of Fritz Oeser and it got here with extra music that we’d ever heard earlier than, most particularly for the Venice act however with the Septet and Dapertutto’s “Scintille, diamant” relegated to an appendix on disc three. Nonetheless, the acts had been again to the composer’s meant order, so you possibly can’t have every part. Plus, this model was capital ‘G’ grand, maybe to its personal detriment.
Sadly, Sylvain Cambreling conducts the entire affair like he’s following the rating with a magnifying glass. We get all the additional music for Nicklausse/La Muse (an exquisite Ann Murray) with the attractive apotheosis finale and the Venetian act fleshed out significantly with music that wandered in from Offenbach’s Die Rheinnixen (which is the place the ‘Barcarolle’ originated, so…). Neil Shicoff makes an exquisite, ardent Hoffmann and he’s acquired every part you need, plus a suicide edge to his singing that Domingo fully lacks. As his nemeses now we have Jose van Dam and I don’t need to take heed to anybody else in these roles. He’s magnificently malevolent and one way or the other attractive all on the identical time. Luciana Serra is stiff (too mechanical?) as Olympia and Rosalind Plowright is somewhat too vibrant for Antonia (I additionally don’t suppose the EMI engineers did her any favors). The one laborious fail is the selection of Robert Tear as all of the servants, as he’s fully charmless.
However the glory of this set is the Giulietta of Jessye Norman and I believe it’s top-of-the-line issues she ever did. The sexiest barcarolle ever and her French is exquise. She places the Fatale in Femme. She and Shicoff tear the home down within the fullest, most satisfying, model of the ‘Mirror duet’ I’ve ever heard full with gong finale; it’s such a vocally taxing piece, for the tenor particularly, that I’ve by no means heard a reside efficiency the place you get the repeat of the verse, although Oeser and Kaye each lowered the tenor’s line within the duet so he’s harmonizing and never up prime with the soprano. I watched a video from Covent Backyard lately the place it was so truncated that the viewers was shocked right into a half-hearted golf clap after they realized it was over. Jessye is completely gala and I particularly love the little aria she will get, “Qui connaît donc la souffrance,” during which she bemoans her gilded existence.
Deutsche Grammophon answered again two years later in 1990 to all that scholarly erudition with all of the star energy they may muster with a whole return to the Choudens model — again to 2 discs with little or no recitative. From the identical firm that in 1984 introduced out an exhaustively curated French model of Verdi’s Don Carlos, go determine. Seiji Ozawa leads the Orchestre Nationwide de France with Domingo returning to the studio after twenty years in a well-liked function and in his mature prime (as a tenor). The villains had been relegated to 4 completely different singers, none of them significantly profitable, I’m sorry to say. Nevertheless, we do get one very beautiful heroine in Edita Gruberova. Maybe closest to what Offenbach meant, her singing is so bewitching at occasions you’d suppose she was, certainly, French, and she or he’s so musically scrupulous it’s unlucky that her vowels betray her right here and there. We get a hilarious Frantz from Michel Sénéchal and scrumptious luxurious casting as La voix de la Mère from Christa Ludwig. The French orchestra and refrain makes a distinction right here and the sonics are significantly seductive after the EMI-dry spell.
In 1992 Phillips threw their hat within the ring with the primary of two recordings of Michael Kaye’s essential version. This one utilizing dialogue (?) and it’s greater than somewhat disappointing all-around. The heroines are parsed out to a clockwork Eva Lind as Olympia, Jessye Norman as Antonia (who has tessitura issues on this function…whoops), and Cheryl Studer because the newly exhumed coloratura Giuletta. Samuel Ramey because the villains has that attractive voice however an virtually whole lack of subtlety and no sparking diamond. Francesco Araiza as Hoffmann is strong, however doesn’t make my coronary heart go pit-a-pat within the slightest. In step with the scholarly erudition no septet both. Blah.
Similar drawback with the Opera Nationwide de Lyon model, led by Kent Nagano, launched by Erato that adopted in 1996. Right here, at the least, now we have a French Hoffmann (enfin!) however the very younger (33 yrs.) Roberto Alagna drives his lyric instrument too laborious and it’s not nice at occasions. He’s singing on his precept not his curiosity. Though we’re nonetheless denied the diamond aria we get a frisky, Folies Bergère-style model of the Septet with Sumi Jo yodeling alongside as a sprightly, pointillist, Act IV Giulietta with Natalie Dessay (on the cusp of stardom and sporting stratospheric interpolations) and Leontina Vaduva (keep in mind her earlier than Angela Gheorghiu occurred to Roberto Alagna? Now there’s a narrative!) rounding out the women. Plus, a totally French talking supporting forged with Baquier and Sénéchal filling in as Spalazani and Schlemil. We’ve recitative once more, combined with dialogue, and it’s interminable (Mr. Kaye, make up your thoughts). Jose van Dam is again because the villains and at 56 yrs. olds he’s nonetheless acquired it even when he’s leaning somewhat extra on the texte than the voix.
As a result of newly found materials, for the reason that final new version, we get little bits tickling our ear for the primary time right here and there, like extra ‘Glou, glou, glou’ within the tavern and a for much longer introduction to the Barcarolle, then an virtually full overhaul of the Venice act which lacks the earlier variations’ feeling of foreboding. The orchestra and refrain are completely wonderful, as is the engineering, and Nagano has a phenomenal mild contact, maybe too mild since regardless of the recit. It feels like a night on the Opéra-Comique not L’Opéra.
The earlier yr there was a video launch of this Lyon manufacturing entitled “DES Contes d’Hoffmann” which, as a result of director’s idea, staged the entire thing in an insane asylum (an all too widespread conceit with this piece now). The tenor is totally completely different however Dessay (going even greater into the ledger traces, in the event you can consider it) stays whereas quite a lot of music goes lacking. It’s felony. The one purpose to personal it’s Barbara Hendricks in a uncommon video look who is completely beautiful as Antonia.
Now, finalement, we get to my two favorites. Andre Cluytens’ first recording (which was in all probability why he was entrusted with that second EMI disaster) and it’s all Choudens naturalment. Launched in 1949 on 32 French Columbia 78 sides, it has survived very properly to a really clear digital switch. Raul Jobin leads an skilled and flavorful French forged and orchestra and nobody places a foot fallacious. It has an actual feeling of theatricality and pleasure about it, which nearly the entire above lack, and deserves to be heard extra typically.
However my most favourite is definitely a reside relay from the Salzburg Pageant August 1981 from the revival of the super-spectacle Jean-Pierre Ponelle designed and staged there within the huge Grosses-Festspielhaus with James Levine conducting the Vienna Philharmonic. It’s just about Choudens all the best way, as properly with Guiraud recits.
Placido Domingo was by then discovering Hoffmann a really congenial stage function and Covent Backyard had simply mounted their new manufacturing for him earlier that yr with the Met following go well with the following. He’d proceed within the function for greater than a decade. The primary yr in Salzburg he was partnered by Edda Moser (about whom the critics weren’t loopy) and Jose van Dam in his absolute prime because the villains.
The staging was a cinerama spectacle utilizing the entire well-known Salzburg equipment and acquired tightened up the second yr, a lot to the critics’ approval. The opposite main change was that Catherine Malfitano stepped in for some performances and the radio relay was issued on the Orfeo label in 2009. Regardless of its pretty worldwide forged, it does have a gripping theatricality about it. Everyone seems to be on prime of their recreation and Malfitano often is the most preferrred interpreter in the event you’re in search of the three-in-one combo. Olympia is a stretch on the very prime, however she’s the one singer who actually commits to the echo impact within the aria right through. Her Antonia is harrowing (with a fantastic dying trill) and she or he’s a sultry Giulietta; a really high-quality artist who’s particular person in every part she does. I didn’t admire her when her profession was taking place as a result of I didn’t know higher.
Three industrial movies deserve honorable point out. Niel Schicoff from the Paris Opera in 2003 in a one of many spartan extravaganzas Robert Carsen makes a speciality of. Desirée Racantore, Ruth Ann Swenson, and Béatrice Uria-Monzon are the women. Jennifer Larmore will get loads of music because the Muse/Nicklausse and Bryn Terfel menaces because the villains. It’s Choudens with add-ons and magical all the best way round.
The justly well-known Covent Backyard manufacturing mounted for Domingo was revived for Vittorio Grigolo in 2017, streamed into cinemas, and launched on DVD and Blu-ray. It’s hyper-traditional with a robust worldwide forged and nonetheless works regardless of Thomas Hampson’s villains, that are self-conscious.
Then, a newer 2022 efficiency from Hamburg led by our pal Kent Nagano with Benjamin Berhnheim and Olga Peretyatko within the leads. Luca Pisaroni will get accomplished up with Nosferatu fingers is excellent however not ‘echt’ and the staging is somewhat too Cirque du Soleil for me. Nonetheless, the music making could be very strong and Bernheim is trigger to rejoice.
Among the recordings above could also be laborious to put arms on, particularly the Orfeo and the unique Cluytens. I need to level you all within the route of your native libraries on-line apps. Most subscribe to both streaming companies Kanopy or Hoopla which let you borrow plenty of gadgets every month. My Hoopla has been invaluable throughout the analysis for this piece as I had by no means heard the Cluytens earlier than in any respect. Not solely have they got the entire reside Orfeo sequence onlin,e however many of the Opera Rara recordings in addition to virtually all the catalogs of Decca, DG, and Phillips. If I had recognized it could all be at my fingertips in the future, it’d be simpler to discover a place to sit down.
Now I’m not one to face up for hoary custom, per se, nevertheless it appears a disgrace to me that the Septet (in no matter type it takes) and Dappertutto’s aria are disregarded. They’re each thrilling moments that we’ve all come for use to. Plus, the place else are we going to listen to them? Banishing them from the rating is banishing them fully. Including to that’s Offenbach’s status as an notorious tinkerer along with his exhibits, so I’d fairly have the ideas of Giraud (who was of Offenbach’s period) augmented by scholarly erudition. Therefore my choice for the Salzburg relay.
The factor that appears clearest to me is {that a} sense of theatricality helps above all else with bringing Hoffmann’s many likes to life. Having better-than-average singer’s French and grasp on the model doesn’t harm. None of those are excellent, however they’re all pleasing for one purpose or one other. Bon appétit!
Picture: Emilie Brouchon/OnP