Lyrics
Programme Notes
Based on an 1851 play in which E.T.A Hoffman is portrayed as a participant
in his own stories, Offenbach's last opera Les Contes d'Hoffmann (The
Tales of Hoffmann) was still in rehearsal when the composer died. Although
mostly complete, Ernest Guiraud was brought in to finish the job, and
several crucial changes were made before the first performance on 10th
February 199. In recent years, efforts have been made to restore the
opera to its original state.
Offenbach, acknowledged as a master of frivolous operas bouffes, regarded
the work as his last chance to establish a reputation as the composer
of serious opera, though there are many lighter moments. The opera unfortunately
gained an 'unlucky' tag when it was associated with two opera house fires
in the 1880s.
The plot shows the spiritual and moral decline of Hoffmann through three
successive loves, framed by a prologue and epilogue. Hoffmann narrates
the story while waiting for his latest love, Stella, who turns out to
be a combination of all three. Popular extracts include the famous Barcarolle,
Belle nuit, o nuit d'amour (Fair night, o night of love) heard in numerous
instrumental arrangements, and Il etait une fois a la cour d'Eisenach
(Once upon a time in the court of Eisenach).
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