Metropolitan Opera Archives

"The Tales of Hoffmann," once famous but now an operatic rarity so far as Boston is concerned, was sung yesterday at the second matinee of the Metropolitan. Not only did it offer Lawrence Tibbett in the quadruple incarnation of Hoffmann's evil genius (Lindorf, Coppelius, Dappertutto and Dr. Miracle), but the first appearance here in a major role of Stella Amdreva, and the Boston debut of Maurice de Abravanel, who joined the conducting staff of the Metropolitan this season.

Offenbach's last - and, really posthumous - work was given many times at the Boston Opera House in the 13 years after its introduction here by Oscar Hammerstein in 1900. But nearly 13 seasons have passed since the last performance, by the San Carloans, in 1924. This stretch of time is easily understood; one reason undoubtedly lies in the relative thinness of the score. To a generation nurtured on the richness of Wagner, "The Tales of Hoffmann" is slight indeed. Yet of all the great mass of Offenbach's music, one number is likely to survive indefinitely, and that is the familiar "Barcarolle" which begins the second act.

Nor is the dramatic action either comprehensible or engaging to the modern temper save for the grotesquerie of Dr. Miracle - an interlude passed off with admirable bravura by versatile Mr. Tibbett. It was this gifted artist, in fact, who was the center of every scene in which he participated, both by the sonority of his singing and his compelling presence as an actor.

Miss Andreva as the mechanical doll, Olympia, gave a singularly clever performance. One would like to hear her in a representative coloratura part, for she sings florid music well. Mr. Maison's Hoffmann gave pleasure, and so too, the Antonia of Miss Burke and the Giuletta of Miss Swarthout, though the latter was not in best voice. Irra Petina stood out by virtue of her graceful acting and singing as Nicklausse.

Mr. de Abravanel conducted competently, though it seemed that the orchestra was on several occasions much too loud.

Though the libretto is involved, all the minute details furnish opportunity for incessant movement upon the stage. The Metropolitan production makes ample display of the spectacle of the balls at Spalanzani's house and in Giuiletta's Venetian palace, though the costumes of Spalanzani's ball ranged from Louis XV to post-Napoleonic times. The ending has been somewhat altered, if one heard correctly. Originally Stella, finding Hoffmann stretched out in the tavern, was told he was merely drunk; she then threw a flower at him and departed. In this production Lindorf informs the actress the poet is dead, and she leaves with an anguished cry but no flower. The scene of Hoffmann with the Muse, and the chorus of the spirits of beer and wine were omitted.

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Search by title: Les Contes d'Hoffmann,

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