The Tales of Hoffman: The Opera and Thoughts about the Casting

by Brian Hay

The opera, by Jacques Offenbach, is based on a play that used several short stories by E. T. A. Hoffman as its source material. The play was written by Michael Carré and Jules Barbier. Barbier served as the librettist. Offenbach apparently visualized the four loves and villains as facets of two characters. Accordingly, he intended for the four soprano roles to be played by a single performer and for the four villains to be performed by a single bass-baritone. The Wikipedia states that doubling of the baritones is fairly common but having the four soprano roles done the same way isn't.

In this production baritone John Relyea takes on the role as the four villains. Erin Wall, Andriana Chuchman, Keri Alkema and Ambur Braid perform the roles of the four loves separately. **

The creative team is led by Director Lee Blakeley. He has an extensive history in the genre which includes tenures as an Associate Director for the Royal Opera, the Glyndebourne Festival Opera and the English National Opera. He's also has worked for The Glyndebourne Touring Opera, The Houston Grand Opera, Opera New Zealand, The Vlaamse Opera, Opera de Monte Carlo, Lille, Trieste and Tenerife.  Recently he directed Prokofiev's Love For Three Oranges for RSAMD/Scottish Opera. *

He's created several productions which include Orfeo ed Eurydice for the Minnesota Opera, A Little Night Music for the Chatelet Theatre in Paris and Madame Butterfly for the Santa Fe Opera. Other credits include productions of Don Giovanni, Rusalka, The Merry Widow, Cavalli's La Calisto and the world premiere of Handel's Cliori. At this time his site lists The Tales of Hoffman as an upcoming production. *

After seeing Erin Wall in the role of Clémence in COC's production of Love From Afar her presence alone would give this production a solid recommendation. Her range is phenomenal and her voice is agile enough that it's easy to forget about the complexity of the passages as she navigates them. She also has the ability to use colour shadings that add depth to characters even when she's not moving. Virtually all of the motion in Love From Afar was executed slowly and without abrupt gestures used to place emphasis on characterizations or events. Everything depended on the performers being able to develop their characters through an array of subtle nuances in their voices and physical gestures. Erin excelled at this.

Andriana Chuchman has a beautifully expressive voice. The video below of her performing some of Schubert's lieder shows a young woman with an agile voice, effortless delivery and an ability to communicate intensely by way of the most minute variances of vocal expression. One of the pieces she's called on to perform in "Hoffman" is 'The Doll Song' shown above as performed by Laura Claycomb. Her performance of the lieder suggests she's going to excel and have a lot of fun doing it.

Keri Alkema's site has audio files of her performing a pair of Donna Elvira's arias from Don Giovanni. (For me anyway) the interpretations of Elvira that resonate the most are the ones that portray her as a strong and stately woman with a cloying nut buried slightly below the surface. With 'Ah fugue il traitor' she captures the woman's resolve and an undercurrent of jealousy as she attempts to sway the flirtatious (but not really gullible) Zerlina away from the Don. Her shadings and willingness to stretch her vocal to the edge of wildness give 'Mi tradi quell alma ingrata' a duality that combines undying love and an ability to forgive unconditionally with images of the hapless Don Giovanni struggling to walk with her wrapped around one of his ankles. Small wonder he opted to face the stature. Brilliant stuff!

All the roles are cast strongly. The footage of Lauren Segal (shown in the Zoomer News Clip) shows she has flair, confidence and a personality that engages the audience. Gregory Dahl stepped in for Orchestra London on short notice about a year ago and floored the audience. In addition to a great voice he has a towering stage presence and charisma that doesn't quit. Ambur Braid is scheduled to play the Queen of the Night with Opera Atelier next year. That's one of the toughest roles in the repertoire.

The people involved with the COC in other capacities are a factor as well. All of them have enthusiasm that's contagious. Jeremy Elbourne (also shown in the clip from Zoomer News) is as much a fan as a man doing a job. The same is true of the others involved in the marketing and media relations. Their intent is to make sure the opera is a good time for everyone who attends. They work hard but they love what they're doing and it shows.

* Information drawn from Lee Blakeley's website.

** Josephine Barstow, Diana Damrau, Elizabeth Futral, Elena Moșuc and Joan Sutherland have performed all four roles simultaneously.

… Go to the COC's Official News Release

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