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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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