Les Contes D'hoffman

LES CONTES D’HOFFMAN Oper Bonn / Volksoper Wien

When Offenbach was writing Les Contes d’Hoffmann, he could not have anticipated that his only grand opera would become so successful and yet be such a puzzle. He worked on the score for seven years, but left it incomplete when he died. He wrote in a letter: Les contes d’Hoffmann will kill me.

In 1859 Offenbach had a huge success with his first full-length operetta Orphée aux enfers. The devil may have been upset at this satirical representation of hell. In 1881 the Ring theatre in Vienna burned down during the second performance of Les Contes d’Hoffmann and in 1887 all the orchestral parts of Hoffmann were destroyed forever during the fire of l’Opéra Comique in Paris. Without any proper parts many of Offenbach’s colleagues took on the task of re-writing and rearranging, following what they claimed were his basic intentions. Since then many specialists and scholars have claimed to have put together the definitive version, until a few years later, when someone else comes along to claim otherwise. A few years ago, parts of the Hoffmann manuscript were discovered under some filthy mattresses piled under a staircase. They were found in the castle of Cormatin in Burgundy which had once belonged to Raoul Gunsbourg, director of l’Opéra-de Monte-Carlo (who himself tried to re-organize the“Giulietta”act and even re-wrote some music). All together, if everything found so far were to be performed in its entirety, the opera would be endless. This might satisfy the scholars but exhaust the patience of any audience! Trying to put a version together is the biggest challenge for anyone who attempts to produce it. It seems that the doomed score is each time a creation that the devil is trying to destroy. But what if Offenbach himself is the one misleading us through it all: by hiding parts of his score and by playing some roles he has stolen from the singers? After all, he even borrowed Hoffmann’s most famous melody, “La Barcarolle,” from his earlier but unsuccessful opera Les Fées du Rhin / Die Rheinnixen.

Set in a burned theatre the spirit of Offenbach is trying once more to defy the devil by completing today’s performance of his opera. He is helped by the 3 muses of opera: Terpsichore, Erato & Calliope. Together they follow Hoffmann through a journey that will become one of the most loved French operas.

Are Les contes d’Hoffmann dreams or nightmares? They are certainly filled with drama, laughter and spectacle. They are, above all, a journey into the unconscious of a composer who tried to find love and create his ultimate masterpiece.

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Set Model / Prologue

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Set Model / Tavern

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Set Model / Olympia

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Set Model / Antonia

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Set Model / Antonia

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Set Model / Giulietta

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Set Model / Giulietta

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BREAKDOWN SOLOISTS

OVERTURE ACT I – Tavern ACT II – Olympia ACT III – Antonia ACT IV – Giulietta ACT V – Epilogue Prologue Hoffmann Hoffmann Hoffmann Hoffmann Hoffmann Hoffmann

Olympia Antonia Giulietta Stella

La Muse Nicklausse Nicklausse Nicklausse Nicklausse Nicklausse/La Muse

The Devil Lindorf Dr. Coppelius Dr. Miracle Dappertutto Lindorf/The Devil

Offenbach Offenbach Offenbach as Offenbach as Offenbach as Offenbach Cochenille* Frantz* Pitichinaccio*

Antonia’s Mother

Andres Spalanzani Andres

Luther Crespel Luther

Wolfram Schlemil Wolfram Or chorus Or chorus Nathanael Nathanael Or chorus Or chorus Hermann Hermann Or chorus Or chorus Wilhelm Wilhelm Or chorus Or chorus

NB : IN GREEN ARE THE MUTE ACTING PARTS • IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT THE CHARACTER TENOR LOOKS LIKE OFFENBACH.

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CHORUS MEN : 18

OVERTURE ACT I – ACT II – Olympia ACT III – Antonia ACT IV – Giulietta ACT V – Epilogue Prologue/Tavern

TENORS 1 Student (devil) / Nathanael Scientist A Client Student (devil) / Nathanael 2 Student (devil) Scientist A Client Student (devil) 3 Student (devil) Scientist A Client Student (devil) 4 Student (devil) Scientist B Client Student (devil) 5 Student (devil) Scientist B Client Student (devil) 6 Student (devil) Scientist B Client Student (devil) 7 Student (devil) Scientist C Client Student (devil) 8 Student (devil) Scientist C Client Student (devil) 9 Student (devil) / Wolfram Scientist C Client Student (devil) / Wolfram BASSES 10 Student (devil) / Hermann Scientist A Client Student (devil) / Hermann 11 Student (devil) / Wilhem Scientist A Client Student (devil) / Wilhem 12 Student (devil) Scientist A Client Student (devil) 13 Student (devil) Scientist B Client Student (devil) 14 Student (devil) Scientist B Client Student (devil) 15 Student (devil) Scientist B Client Student (devil) 16 Student (devil) Scientist C Client Student (devil) 17 Student (devil) Scientist C Client Student (devil) 18 Student (devil) Scientist C Client Student (devil)

NB : The chorus base is 18 (6.6.6.) for the chorus men and women breakdown. If we want to use Chorus Men to sing the parts of Nathanael, Hermann, Wilhelm & Wolfram it is OK (until the Student group is not more than 18 Men including the 4 students soloists)

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CHORUS WOMEN : 18

OVERTURE ACT I – ACT II – Olympia ACT III – Antonia ACT IV – Giulietta ACT V – Epilogue Prologue/Tavern SOPRANI 1 Student (audience member) Scientist D Prostitute Gondola Prostitute Gondola

2 Student (audience member) Scientist D Prostitute Gondola Prostitute Gondola

3 Student (audience member) Scientist D Prostitute Scientist D

4 Student (audience member) Scientist E Prostitute Scientist E

5 Student (audience member) Scientist E Prostitute Scientist E

6 Student (audience member) Scientist E Prostitute Prostitute

7 Student (audience member) Scientist F Prostitute Scientist F

8 Student (audience member) Scientist F Prostitute Scientist F

9 Student (audience member) Scientist F Prostitute Prostitute

ALTI 10 Student (audience member) Scientist D Prostitute Scientist D

11 Student (audience member) Scientist D Prostitute Scientist D

12 Student (audience member) Scientist D Prostitute Prostitute

13 Student (audience member) Scientist E Prostitute Gondola Prostitute Gondola

14 Student (audience member) Scientist E Prostitute Gondola Prostitute Gondola

15 Student (audience member) Scientist E Prostitute Prostitute

16 Student (audience member) Scientist F Prostitute Prostitute

17 Student (audience member) Scientist F Prostitute Prostitute

18 Student (audience member) Scientist F Prostitute Prostitute

www.barbedoucet.com LES CONTES D’HOFFMAN Oper Bonn / Volksoper Wien DANCERS : 6

OVERTURE ACT I – ACT II – Olympia ACT III – Antonia ACT IV – Giulietta ACT V – Epilogue Prologue/Tavern WOMEN : 6

EXTRAS : 9

OVERTURE ACT I – ACT II – Olympia ACT III – Antonia ACT IV – Giulietta ACT V – Epilogue Prologue/Tavern WOMEN : 5 1 Dance Muse Dance Muse Dance Muse/Naked Muse Dance Muse Dance Muse

2 Music Muse Music Muse Music Muse Music Muse Music Muse

3 Doll Scientist Conductor Gondolier rider Gondolier rider 4 Doll Scientist Conductor Gondolier rider Gondolier rider 5 MRS LUTHER * Doll Scientist Conductor MRS LUTHER “MEN : 4 1 Waiter Doll Scientist Conductor Waiter-Gondolier Waiter 2 Waiter Doll Scientist Conductor Waiter-Gondolier Waiter 3 Waiter Doll Scientist Conductor Waiter-Gondolier Waiter 4 Waiter Waiter-Gondolier Waiter

MRS LUTHER * : SEXY DANCER

KID : 1

OVERTURE ACT I – ACT II - Olympia ACT III - Antonia ACT IV - Giulietta ACT V – Epilogue Prologue/Tavern 1 Blind Kid