Metropolitan Opera Archives

Les Contes d'Hoffmann received seven performances this season.
This was Cyril Ritchard's debut as a Choreographer

Review 1:

Review of Howard Klein in The New York Times

Nicolai Gedda Sings Title Role in 'Tales of Hoffmann' at Met

The Metropolitan Opera revived its stylish production of Offenbach's "The Tales of Hoffmann" last night and it was solidly enjoyable in every respect. It is not everyone's favorite. There is no happy ending, nor even a tragic one. The same situation is repeated in each of three acts that are flashbacks of the poet Hoffmann's thwarted loves. It is a romantic French opera with strong overtones of the fantastic. To do it credibly is the trick, and it is to the company's credit that the playing was honest and to the point and, therefore, successful.

The music is occasionally quite beautiful and always easy on the ear. With a little more dissonance and with fewer numbers ending so conclusively, it would be even better. But crucial to the opera is the casting of Hoffman, the three women he loves, and his nemesis, who has four names in the opera. In each case the casting could not be faulted.

Nicola Gedda was the Hoffmann, and his brilliant voice easily encompassed the music. He could have sung more romantically - that is with more overt drama but his accuracy and his French enunciation kept the ear satisfied. And he cut a dashing figure, moving easily through the scene and gesturing naturally. William Dooley, who, like Mr. Gedda, was singing in the opera for his first time at the Met, was consistently good in the multiple role of the nemesis. There may have been a. bit too much of the Dracula at times. but his coarse-grained voice and powerful stature made the most of Lindorf, Coppélius, Dappertutto and Dr. Miracle. The way he kicked the corpse of Schlemil (Clifford Harvuot) into the Venetian canal in Act II was genuinely sardonic.

The difficult coloratura role of Olympia, the doll, was taken on short notice and sung brilliantly by Jeannette Scovotti. Her jerky and mechanical movements, arpeggios and trills matched, and she never slipped from this characterization. Miss Scovotti was also singing in the opera for her first time.

Biserka Cvejic as Giulietta, the second-act love, was fine. Her rich voice was full-blooded and passionate. Lucine Amara had sung Antonia before, and again her melting vocalism accurately pictured the dying third love. It was a treat to watch Andrea Veils, another first, differentiate between the components of this quadruple role - Andres, Cochenille, Pitichinaccio and Frantz. Each was complete, and the only quality they had in common was Mr. Velis's voice. He has quite a bag of acting tricks that don't look like tricks. Janis Martin sang for the first time here the transvestite role of Nicklausse, which has less color than the others, but it was a well-considered performance.

Silvio Varviso conducted with springy energy, He, too, was a first, and his energetic pacing kept the action flowing smoothly. But in the big choral ending of Act II the climax was reached too soon. The torrents of sound pouring off the stage lacked control, and things threatened to get noisy. With more performances he may add more polish to his approach. But he kept things together, and this is an ensemble opera. Rolf Gerard's sets and costumes are among the most stylish in the Metropolitan's repertory, and Cyril Ritchard's staging and choreography complemented the lavish settings, filling them with action and eye appeal, It was curious that so good a performance of so enjoyable a work encountered a somewhat cool reception by the audience. But it is well worth seeing.

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