The performance of Offenbach's Les Contes d'Hoffmann held at the Met on 19. December 2009 premieres on Thirteen’s "Great Performances at the Met" series on Wednesday 24. March 2010 at 9 PM ET.
Starting 25. March 2010, Les Contes d'Hoffmann will be available in HD on the Met Player.
Joseph Calleja sings the title role and is joined on stage by Kate Lindsey as Nicklausse and The Muse, Anna Netrebko as Antonia and Stella, Kathleen Kim as Olympia, Ekaterina Gubanova as Giulietta and Alan Held as the Four Villains. James Levine conducts the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and Bartlett Sher is the stage director.
On 19. December 2009 it was the fifth performance of the run of the new Met production of Offenbach's "Les Contes d'Hoffmann", starring Joseph Calleja as Hoffmann, Anna Netrebko as Antonia/Stella, Kathleen Kim as Olympia, Ekaterina Gubanova as Giulietta, Alan Held as the four villains and Kate Lindsey as Nicklausse/Muse. James Levine conducted the Chorus and Orchestra of the Metropolitan Opera House. The production was by Tony Award winner Bartlett Sher.
The performance on 19. Dec 2009 has been transmitted live to selected movie theaters around the world as part of The Met: Live in HD Series. It has been also live broadcast over the Toll Brothers-Metropolitan Opera International Radio Network.
It will be broadcast on Great Performances at the Met on PBS on Wednesday 24. March 2010.
Les Contes d'Hoffmann
Music by Jacques Offenbach
Libretto by Jules Barbier and Michel Carré, based on stories by E.T.A. Hoffmann
Metropolitan Opera House, New York 19. December 2009
Cast
Hoffmann: Joseph Calleja
Olympia: Kathleen Kim
Antonia: Anna Netrebko
Giulietta: Ekaterina Gubanova
Stella: Anna Netrebko
Lindorf: Alan Held
Coppélius: Alan Held
Dappertutto: Alan Held
Dr. Miracle: Alan Held
Nicklausse: Kate Lindsey
Muse: Kate Lindsey
Andrès: Alan Oke
Cochenille: Alan Oke
Pitichinaccio: Alan Oke
Frantz: Alan Oke
Luther: Dean Peterson
Nathanael: Rodell Rosel
Hermann: Michael Todd Simpson
Spalanzani: Mark Schowalter
Schlemil: Michael Todd Simpson
Crespel: Dean Peterson
Antonia's Mother Voice: Wendy White
Conductor: James Levine
Chorus and Orchestra of the Metropolitan Opera House
Production
Production: Bartlett Sher
Set Designer: Michael Yeargan
Costume Designer: Catherine Zuber
Lighting Designer: James F. Ingalls
Choreographer: Dou Dou Huang
Reports
Our friend Howard and his wife Paula attended this performance live at the Met. Howard kindly wrote the followind detailed report for the blog:
My wife Paula and I attended the "Les Contes d'Hoffmann" performance at the MET on 19-December which was also simulcast around the world as a live broadcast. As snow was encroaching on New York City, the crowds came out to see the Tales of Hoffmann.
I totally agree with Irina, that there is truly nothing like a live performance, although this spectacle deserves a second review with the encore HD performance in January. Although there were some vacant seats due the inclement weather it was clear that Netrebko has her devoted following. The gift shop was playing a DVD of her Berlin Concert with Villazon and Domingo and copies were literally flying off the shelves. One woman flew in from Dallas just for this performance. The MET intentionally sanitized this production leaving out the partial nudity (G strings and pasties) reviewed by Anthony Tommasini of the New York Times.
There was a rousing ovation for James Levine who recently returned from back surgery for a ruptured disc. He has the uncanny ability to allow the orchestra to support, but not overpower the singers. Bartlet Sher the director pretty much took a static opera with no dimension of time or change of venue. and made a spectacle of the opera. While there were some incongruities, it pretty much came off rather well and was very well received.
Olympia, the mechanical doll played by Kathleen Kim was adorable, cute and sang with coloratura ease. She danced and walked like a mechanized doll as the voice lifted just like a young adolescent nymph. This was not the role for Netrebko. Although other productions have had wind up keys built into the costume, this rendition was just adorable. Ekaterina Gubanova as Giuletta was stiff and uninspiring. The part of Nicklausse sung by Kate Lindsay was just average, as her voice and expression appear not ready for prime time. Alan Held had a commanding presence as Dr. Miracle and sang with convincing authority.
The clear winners of the afternoon were Joseph Calleja as Hoffmann and Anna Netrebko as Antonia. Calleja displayed confidence, presence and endurance. His voice has an unusual tenderness and affection that is reminiscent of Jussi Bjorling. Calleja had strength, the ability to project and literally sang the entire opera without much rest. His tenderness in recounting his lost loves came across with passion and conviction. This is an enormous role early in his career and it was clear that he was up to the task.
Although Anna Netrebko's role as Antonia in the 2nd act was limited, she ruled the stage with passion, illumination and exquisite acting ability. One only has to think of her Salzburg Traviata for an analogy. Her deep Slavic tone and elegant poise was well suited to this role. She truly commanded the stage and all around her. Her duets with Hoffman were poignant, elegant and dramatic. She had the ability the sing along with his commanding presence. She was dressed in a beautiful nightgown that highlighted her style, grace and sumptuous figure. It is evident that she has lost much weight after her pregnancy, but her voice and timbre have become richer, more colored and exquisite. There were time when you could pick out her voice on top of the chorus. She has not lost her high register at all and there were some hints of exquisite trills in her singing. In short, this role was made for her, a sumptuous, melancholy lover with a great sense of pathos and drama.
At intermission, I met a gentlemen who was at her MET debut in War and Peace. He said that he heard a lone voice above the chorus that transcended all. He said that he knew then that she was very special as only time would demonstrate. He loved her role here, but was not as enthusiastic about her coloratura capabilities in Lucia last year.
The production did have some weaknesses that seemed to detract from the overall message. In the opening of the third act which simulated an orgy or bordello, the well choreographed dancers with exquisitely flexible bodies were on top of men reminiscent of strippers at a bar. Their modern day costumes seemed out of place from the elegant victorian gowns and long coat worn by Hoffmann. My wife found some of this mildly offensive and inappropriate. If this was the sanitized version, I am sure that other performances had similar responses.
Parts of the opera appeared to make fun of the Jews and were mildly anti-Semitic in nature. While not offensive, it is clear that Bartlet Sher chose to highlight these issues in his interpretation. I found it to be mildly amusing and perhaps this reflects some of Offenbach's beliefs.
Some general thoughts are in order. Having attended opera and concerts throughout Europe, I am astounded by the lack of decorum of many participants in the audience. On a Saturday afternoon where tickets are rather expensive, I am shocked by people dressed in dungarees and sweatshirts. My opinion is that the audience should be respectful to others in the audience as well as the performers. People sitting next to me in the opera talked throughout the opera and you could hear the incessant vibration of cell phone and occasional audible ones that were extremely bothersome. As Hoffmann was singing his heart out in the 3rd act, a cell phone went off at the most inopportune time. I realize that times are much more casual than in the past, but a modicum of decorum, appropriate dress and behavior is a rather low bar for such an exquisite art form.
In closing our trip to NYC was well worth the effort. Netrebko was enchanting, ravishing and skilled in her abilities. Our trip home was delayed by snow and ice, but fortunately we had a young female bus driver that was safety conscious, courteous and skilled in her driving abilities. She had to stop 4-5 times to clear ice from the wipers. Fortunately she beat the storm as she traveled North to Boston.
Looking forward to Boheme later this spring as well as Carmen with Garanca.
Today on 3. December 2009 it has been the season premiere of the new Met production of Offenbach's "Les Contes d'Hoffmann", starring Joseph Calleja as Hoffmann, Anna Netrebko as Antonia/Stella, Kathleen Kim as Olympia, Ekaterina Gubanova as Giulietta, Alan Held as the four villains and Kate Lindsey as Nicklausse/Muse. James Levine conducted the Chorus and Orchestra of the Metropolitan Opera House. The production was by Tony Award winner Bartlett Sher.
Joseph Calleja has made his role debut as Hoffmann. As it was announced in exclusive on this blog on 26. May 2009, Joseph Calleja replaced Rolando Villazón who cancelled his appearance when he announced in April that he needed surgery to remove a cyst on his larynx.
Kathleen Kim has made also her role debut as Olympia, the mechanical doll.
Anna Netrebko made her role debut as Antonia at the Mariinsky Theater, St. Petersburg on 11. November 2000 in a performance conducted by Gianandrea Noseda and directed by Marta Domingo. The critic of the St. Petersburg Times wrote that "her captivating performance was the genuine highlight of the production. Her tormented Antonia, suffering over the paths she had to choose, was pierced with despair."
Ekaterina Gubanova has made her role debut as Giulietta. She made her Met debut in 2007 as Hélène Bezukhova in War and Peace.
Kate Lindsey has made also her role debut as Nicklausse/The Muse, replacing Elina Garanca who decided to withdraw and to sing the title role in the upcoming performances of Carmen at the Met, when Angela Gheorghiu withdraw from those performances.
Alan Held made his debut as the four villains at the Met in 1993. He has replaced René Pape who decided not to add the four villains to his repertoire.
A number of first impressions about the performance, collected during the live broadcast, can be read at the comments sections of a post published on Parterre Box.
Les Contes d'Hoffmann
Music by Jacques Offenbach
Libretto by Jules Barbier and Michel Carré, based on stories by E.T.A. Hoffmann
Season Premiere
Metropolitan Opera House, New York 3. December 2009
Cast
Hoffmann: Joseph Calleja
Olympia: Kathleen Kim
Antonia: Anna Netrebko
Giulietta: Ekaterina Gubanova
Stella: Anna Netrebko
Lindorf: Alan Held
Coppélius: Alan Held
Dappertutto: Alan Held
Dr. Miracle: Alan Held
Nicklausse: Kate Lindsey
Muse: Kate Lindsey
Andrès: Alan Oke
Cochenille: Alan Oke
Pitichinaccio: Alan Oke
Frantz: Alan Oke
Luther: Dean Peterson
Nathanael: Rodell Rosel
Hermann: Michael Todd Simpson
Spalanzani: Mark Schowalter
Schlemil: Michael Todd Simpson
Crespel: Dean Peterson
Antonia's Mother Voice: Wendy White
Conductor: James Levine
Chorus and Orchestra of the Metropolitan Opera House
Production
Production: Bartlett Sher
Set Designer: Michael Yeargan
Costume Designer: Catherine Zuber
Lighting Designer: James F. Ingalls
Choreographer: Dou Dou Huang
The performances on 11., 19., 23. and 30. Dec 2009 will be live broadcast on Sirius Satellite Radio channel 78 and XM channel 79. The performance on 19. Dec 2009 will be transmitted live to selected movie theaters around the world as part of The Met: Live in HD Series. The performance on 19. Dec 2009 will be also live broadcast over the Toll Brothers-Metropolitan Opera International Radio Network and the one on 23. Dec 2009 will be live broadcast via RealNetworks internet streaming on the Met website.
Press Reports
Anthony Tommasini, talking about Anna Netrebko, wrote on The New York Times,
[...] she was vocally lustrous, charismatic and wrenching as Antonia [...]. She also made a captivating and tart Stella [...]
Here, full focus was on soprano Anna Netrebko, and rightfully so. Virtually unmatched in her luscious tone, Netrebko sang as if each phrase were truly her last, surprisingly full-throated, a little wild, and absolutely spellbinding.
The final dress rehearsal of the new Met production of Offenbach's "Les Contes d'Hoffmann" starring Joseph Calleja as Hoffmann, Anna Netrebko as Antonia/Stella, Kathleen Kim as Olympia, Ekaterina Gubanova as Giulietta, Alan Held as the Four Villains and Kate Lindsey as Nicklausse/Muse, took place yesterday, on 30. November 2009. James Levine conducted the Chorus and Orchestra of the Metropolitan Opera House. The production was by Bartlett Sher.
Three thousand free tickets to the final dress rehearsal were made available through on online drawing on the Met’s website.
The staging, costumes and sets of this new Bartlett Sher's production were gorgeous. Joseph Calleja, who had been fighting a sinus/pharynx infection on the last days, was not feeling well and he sang Hoffmann only in the first act, being replaced by David Pomeroy.
Les Contes d'Hoffmann
Music by Jacques Offenbach
Libretto by Jules Barbier and Michel Carré, based on stories by E.T.A. Hoffmann
Final Dress Rehearsal
Metropolitan Opera House, New York 30. November 2009
Cast
Hoffmann: Joseph Calleja, Prologue, Act I/David Pomeroy, Acts II, III, Epilogue
Olympia: Kathleen Kim
Antonia: Anna Netrebko
Giulietta: Ekaterina Gubanova
Stella: Anna Netrebko
Lindorf: Alan Held
Coppélius: Alan Held
Dappertutto: Alan Held
Dr. Miracle: Alan Held
Nicklausse: Kate Lindsey
Muse: Kate Lindsey
Andrès: Alan Oke
Cochenille: Alan Oke
Pitichinaccio: Alan Oke
Frantz: Alan Oke
Luther: Dean Peterson
Nathanael: Rodell Rosel
Hermann: Michael Todd Simpson
Spalanzani: Mark Schowalter
Schlemil: Michael Todd Simpson
Crespel: Dean Peterson
Antonia's Mother Voice: Wendy White
Conductor: James Levine
Chorus and Orchestra of the Metropolitan Opera House
Production
Production: Bartlett Sher
Set Designer: Michael Yeargan
Costume Designer: Catherine Zuber
Lighting Designer: James F. Ingalls
Choreographer: Dou Dou Huang
The Metropolitan Opera of New York will offer 3000 free tickets, limited to 2 per person, to the final dress rehearsal of the Bartlett Sher's production of "Les Contes d'Hoffmann" on 30. November 2009, starring Anna Netrebko, Joseph Calleja, Alan Held,Kate Lindsey, Kathleem Kim and Ekaterina Gubanova.
On 19. December 2009 it was the fifth performance of the run of the new Met production of Offenbach's "Les Contes d'Hoffmann", starring Joseph Calleja as Hoffmann, Anna Netrebko as Antonia/Stella, Kathleen Kim as Olympia, Ekaterina Gubanova as Giulietta, Alan Held as the four villains and Kate Lindsey as Nicklausse/Muse. James Levine conducted the Chorus and Orchestra of the Metropolitan Opera House. The production was by Tony Award winner Bartlett Sher.
Les Contes d'Hoffmann, Met 3. Dec 2009. Final curtains call. Photo: Raul
Les Contes d'Hoffmann, Met 3. Dec 2009. Final curtains call. Photo: Raul
Les Contes d'Hoffmann, Met 3. Dec 2009. Final curtains call. Photo: Raul
Les Contes d'Hoffmann, Met 3. Dec 2009. Bartlett Sher and Kate Lindsey at the stage door. Photo: Raul
Les Contes d'Hoffmann, Met 3. Dec 2009. Alan Held at the stage door. Photo: Raul
Les Contes d'Hoffmann, Met 3. Dec 2009. Kathleen Kim at the stage door. Photo: Raul
Les Contes d'Hoffmann, Met 3. Dec 2009. Ekaterina Gubanova at the stage door. Photo: Raul
Les Contes d'Hoffmann, Met 3. Dec 2009. Joseph Calleja at the stage door. Photo: Raul
Les Contes d'Hoffmann, Met 3. Dec 2009. Anna Netrebko at the stage door. Photo: Raul
The final dress rehearsal of the new Met production of Offenbach's "Les Contes d'Hoffmann" starring Joseph Calleja as Hoffmann, Anna Netrebko as Antonia/Stella, Kathleen Kim as Olympia, Ekaterina Gubanova as Giulietta, Alan Held as the Four Villains and Kate Lindsey as Nicklausse/Muse, took place yesterday, on 30. November 2009. James Levine conducted the Chorus and Orchestra of the Metropolitan Opera House. The production was by Bartlett Sher.
