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The Royal Opera
Music Director Designate
Jakub Hrůša
Director of Opera
Oliver Mears

The Tales of Hoffmann

Cast sheet

Thursday 28 November 2024

|

6.30pm

OPERA FANTASTIQUE
The 162nd performance by The Royal Opera at the Royal Opera House.
Please note that casting is subject to change up until the start of the performance. Please continue to check the website for the most up-to-date information.

Exceptional philanthropic support from Royal Ballet and Opera Principal Julia Rausing Trust

With the generous support of Aline Foriel-Destezet Season Principal

Generous philanthropic support from Philipp Freise, Charles Holloway OBE, Huo Family Foundation, The Tales of Hoffmann Production Syndicate, Royal Ballet and Opera Young Philanthropists and Royal Ballet and Opera Friends

The role of Antonia is generously supported by The Kiri Te Kanawa Foundation

This performance will be broadcast on BBC Radio 3 on the 21st December 2024

A co-production with Opera Australia, Opéra National de Lyon and Fondazione Teatro La Fenice di Venezia 

Approximate timings

The performance lasts approximately 3 hours and 35 minutes, with two intervals
Prologue, Olympia
75 minutes
Interval
25 minutes
Antonia
45 minutes
Interval
25 minutes
Giulietta, Epilogue
45 minutes
Credits

Music

Jacques Offenbach

Libretto

Jules Barbier

Conductor

Antonello Manacorda

Director

Damiano Michieletto

Associate Director

Eleonora Gravagnola

Set designer

Paolo Fantin

Costume designer

Carla Teti

Lighting designer

Alessandro Carletti

Choreographer

Chiara Vecchi

The edition of The Tales of Hoffmann used in these performances is published by Alkor-Edition, Kassel and supplied by Faber Music, London.
Cast

Muse of Poetry/Spirit of Antonia's Mother

Christine Rice

Stella/Wife/Nurse

Maria Leon

Nicklausse

Julie Boulianne

Lindorf/Coppélius/Dr Miracle/Dappertutto

Alex Esposito

Andrès/Cochenille/Frantz/Pitichinaccio

Christophe Mortagne

Luther

Jeremy White

Hermann/Schlemil

Grisha Martirosyan

Nathanael

Ryan Vaughan Davies

Hoffmann

Juan Diego Flórez

Spalanzani

Vincent Ordonneau

Olympia

Olga Pudova

Antonia

Ermonela Jaho

Crespel

Alastair Miles

Giulietta

Marina Costa-Jackson

Chorus Solo (La harpe)

Olle Zetterström

Young Antonia

Beatrice Hope Henley

Ballet Students

Lara Rose Ostroumoff, Alice Lily Whitty, Felicity Louise Plant, Lila Shayeghi, Emilia Ostroumoff

Dancers

Tobias Richards, Jack Thomson, Adam Dearman, Rosie Southall, Krystine Cunningham, Abigail Norrie, Natasha Trigg, Cameron Everitt

Stilt walker

Daniel Edwards

Grisha Martirosyan and Ryan Vaughan Davies are Jette Parker Artists
Chorus and Orchestra

Chorus

Royal Opera Chorus

Chorus Director

William Spaulding

Orchestra

Orchestra of the Royal Opera House

Concert Master

Sergey Levitin

Extra Chorus

Sopranos

Celeste Gattai, Kathryn Jenkin, Elizabeth Roberts, Juliet Schiemann

Mezzo-sopranos

Maria Brown, Clare McCaldin, Jennifer Westwood

Tenors

Simon Biazeck, Andrew Busher, Jonathan English, Darrell Forkin, Andrew Friedhoff

Basses

Gavin Horsley, Simon Preece, Miles Taylor

Production credits

Music Preparation

Christopher Willis, André Callegaro, Patrick Milne, Richard Fu

Assistant Directors

Johannes Stepanek, Sophie Gilpin

Assistant Choreographer

Andrea Spata

Language coach

Sonja Nerdrum

Richard Fu and Sophie Gilpin are Jette Parker Artists

Patron

HM The King

Music Director Designate

Jakub Hrůša

Director of Opera

Oliver Mears

Director of Casting

Peter Mario Katona

Administrative Director

Cormac Simms

The Muse of Poetry descends among the Spirits of Wine. Stella, a beautiful opera star, has captivated the poet Hoff...

PROLOGUE: Tavern

 

The Muse of Poetry descends among the Spirits of Wine. Stella, a beautiful opera star, has captivated the poet Hoffmann. The envious Muse orders the Spirits to help her dispose of Stella’s unwanted influence. She summons Nicklausse, as a companion for Hoffmannn.

 

A group of students arrives for refreshments during the interval of Don Giovanni. Hoffmann, preoccupied with his love for Stella, joins them, accompanied by Nicklausse. The students coax Hoffmann into telling the tale of Kleinzach. Tensions rise between Lindorf and Hoffmann: whenever the poet encounters Lindorf he is beset by misfortune. The poet relates the tales of his three loves.

 

OLYMPIA

 

The young Hoffmann is a pupil of the inventor Spalanzani. Hoffmann is in love with Olympia, whom he takes to be Spalanzani’s daughter. Coppélius the spectacle-maker arrives. Hoffmann gazes at Olympia through a pair of his glasses and is overcome by her beauty. Spalanzani makes a deal with Coppélius, to buy out his stake in Olympia.

 

Others arrive. Spalanzani presents Olympia to them as his daughter. Olympia sings, to great acclaim. Alone with Olympia, Hoffmann becomes convinced that she loves him. Coppélius returns, enraged that Spalanzani has cheated him. He takes revenge by destroying Olympia. Hoffmann realises at last that she was nothing but a mechanical doll.

Interval 

ANTONIA

 

Crespel has whisked his daughter, Antonia, away to Munich, far from Hoffmann. She is ill, and it could be fatal for her to perform. Hoffmann arrives unannounced, desperate to find out the reason for Antonia’s departure. She tells him that her father no longer permits her to perform. Hearing Crespel return, Hoffmann hides. Dr Miracle arrives, to Crespel’s dismay: he remembers the part Miracle played in the death of his wife.

 

Hoffmann now understands Crespel’s motives, but he keeps them secret. Instead, he urges Antonia to abandon hope of future glory as a performer. Miracle tries to lure Antonia into performing. She resists until he conjures up a spirit resembling her mother. Antonia gives way. Miracle accompanies Antonia while she performs. She collapses. Crespel accuses Hoffmann of causing his daughter’s death. Miracle returns to confirm that Antonia is dead.

Interval 

GIULIETTA

 

In a Venetian Palace, Hoffmann declares he is through with love. Schlemil escorts the courtesan Giulietta into the gaming room. She invites the other guests to join her. The demonic Dappertutto uses a sparkling diamond to summon Giulietta. He commands her to seduce Hoffmann and steal his reflection (or soul). Giulietta’s conquest of Hoffmann is quick, yet when the poet realises what has happened, he remains infatuated with her.

 

EPILOGUE: Back in the tavern

 

Back in the tavern Hoffmann reveals that the three stories are different aspects of the same woman: Stella. Lindorf now realises that he has nothing to fear from his rival.

The Muse sings a song of reassurance: through his suffering Hoffmann's poetic art will flourish and he will eventually belong to her.

Guidance

Suitable for all, subject to House rules. There are pyrotechnics used in Act I.
Children under the age of five are not permitted into our theatres. Children over five must have their own ticket and sit next to an accompanying adult.

Language

Sung in French with English surtitles. Captions and translations in English will be displayed on screens above the stage and around the auditorium.
Further information

We are working hard on our commitment towards becoming more sustainable and are striving for our net zero goal of 2035. By using digital cast sheets and e-tickets, we have reduced our paper consumption by over five tonnes per year. You can view our digital cast sheets on a computer, tablet or smartphone by scanning the QR codes displayed around the building using your smartphone’s camera app. They are also displayed on screens outside the auditoria. Cast sheets are generously supported by the Royal Opera House Endowment Fund.

Photography and filming are prohibited during performances in any of our auditoriums. You are welcome to take pictures throughout the rest of the  building and before performances and share them with us through social media. Commercial photography and filming must be agreed in advance with our press team.

Larger bags and backpacks need to be check into our complimentary cloakrooms. Unattended bags may be removed.

Please do not place any personal belongings on the ledges in front of you. Mobile phones should be turned off and stored away safely during performances.

Only bottled water and ice cream purchased from the premises can be taken into the auditorium.

If you arrive late to the auditorium or leave during a performance, you will not be allowed back to your seat until the interval or a suitable break.

Smoking and vaping are not permitted anywhere on the premises.

The safety of our visitors, staff and artists is our priority. To help us provide a comfortable experience for everyone, please be mindful of others and their personal space.

Our staff are committed to treating everyone with dignity and respect and we ask that you show them and your fellow audience members respect too. We adopt a zero-tolerance approach in response to anyone who interacts with our staff or with fellow audience members in an intimidating, aggressive or threatening manner.

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