Les Contes d'Hoffmann

Composer: Offenbach, Jacques

Librettist/Text Author: Carre, Michel

Librettist/Text Author: Barbier, Jules

Libretto Source: Hoffmann, Ernest Theodor Amadeus

Conductor: Chaslin, Frederic

Orchestra: Marchigiana Philharmonic Orchestra

Chorus: Coro Lirico Marchigiano 'V. Bellini'

Chorus Master: Morganti, Carlo

Andres: Casalin, Luca

Antonia: Raspagliosi, Annalisa

Cochenille: Casalin, Luca

Coppelius: Raimondi, Ruggero

Crespel: Muzzi, Lorenzo

Dapertutto: Raimondi, Ruggero

Frantz: Casalin, Luca

Giulietta: Allegretta, Sara

Hermann: Rivenq, Nicolas

Hoffmann: Scola, Vincenzo la

Lindorf: Raimondi, Ruggero

Luther: Muzzi, Lorenzo

Miracle: Raimondi, Ruggero

Nathanael: Zingariello, Francesco

Nicklausse: Maurus, Elsa

Olympia: Rancatore, Desiree

Pitichinaccio: Casalin, Luca

Schlemil: Rivenq, Nicolas

Spalanzani: Morris, Thomas

Stella: Carraro, Tiziana

Una voce: Palloni, Pierpaolo

Wilhem: Tonucci, Davide

Set Designer: Pizzi, Pier Luigi

Costume Designer: Pizzi, Pier Luigi

Lighting Designer: Rossi, Sergio

Choreographer: Iancu, Gheorghe

Stage Director: Pizzi, Pier Luigi

Television Director: Mancini, Tiziano

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Date of Production: 08-2004

Festival: Sferisterio Opera Festival

Venue: Sferisterio, Macerata

Playing Time: 02:39:30

Catalogue Number: 33470

Synopsis

Les Contes d'Hoffmann

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Les Contes d'Hoffmann is a great, unfinished masterpiece. In 1880 Offenbach's health began to deteriorate rapidly. Les Contes d'Hoffmann had already been programmed for the 1880/81 season of the Opéra-Comique, but Offenbach was having a hard time finishing it and worked only in the moments of respite from his illness. He died on 5 October, leaving the opera incomplete (we still do not know to what extent). And so Ernest Guiraud, a "specialist" who had already transformed into recitatives the spoken parts of Bizet's Carmen, was called to finish the task. The opera was first staged at the Opéra-Comique on 10 February 1881 and met with great success. Soon it was being performed in the most important theatres of the world.

This edition has an Italian cast of exceptional quality, in which stand out the amazing voice of Desirée Rancatore, the extraordinary artistry of Ruggiero Raimondi and the fascinating direction of Pier Luigi Pizzi, one of today's most creative directors.