Offenbach’s glorious final masterpiece of a poet and his past loves. — Fully Staged Opera co-production with the CONNECTICUT LYRIC OPERA — New Britain, New London, Waterbury, Middletown
Review from the New Britain performance in the New Britain City Journal click here >>>
New Britain Herald Article, click here >>>
Trinity-On-Main – New Britain Fri 11/4/2011, 8 PM- tickets>>>
MHS Arts Center – Middletown Sun 11/6/2011, 3 PM – tickets>>>
Garde Garde – New London Sun 11/13/2011, 5 PM – tickets >>>
Waterbury Palace – Waterbury Sat 11/19/2011, 8 PM – tickets >>>
Presented with English supertitles.
This performance inaugurates 8th season of critically acclaimed, fully staged opera productions, presented at major theaters by the Connecticut Lyric Opera Company and the CT Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra.
Jacques Offenbach’s Tales of Hoffman takes the real life of German poet, E.T.A. Hoffmann, and makes him the title character of three, fanciful stories of failed love. The result is one of the grandest and most expressive of all 19th-century French operas — achieving a combination of emotional depth and musical brilliance that only the finest opera composers ever equaled.
But who are these gals — a mechanical wind-up doll (Olympia), a ruthless prostitute on a gondola (Giulietta), and a sickly singer who can no longer sing (Antonia). In each scenario, an evil nemesis thwarts Hoffmann’s attempts for a relationship with each woman. The opera is often compared to “Alice in Wonderland” in its bizarreness — inanimate objects coming to life, a mezzo singing a man’s role, etc — but the music is as resplendent and romantic as it gets for not being penned by an Italian!
Cast:
Michael Wade Lee (Hoffmann)
Jason Switzer (Lindorf/Copelius/Dapertuto/Miracle)
Galina Ivannikova (Nicklaus)
Sarah Asmar (Olympia)
Jurate Svedaite (Giulietta/Antonia)
Steven Fredericks (Crespel)
Michael Imbimbo (Spalanzani, Nathaniel)
Jason Ferrandino (Andreas/Cochenille/Frantz/Pitichinaccio)
Matthew Gamble (Luther,Schlemil)
Aleks Romano (Mothers voice)
Chorus Preparation/Company Pianist – Nathaniel Baker
Staged by Chris Ryan and Jason Ferrandino
Set Design and Costumes by Katie Jurkiewicz
Original set by Phoenix Theater Comp.
Light design by Peter Smith
Connecticut Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra
Conductor/Artistic Director – Adrian Sylveen