Opera

Les Contes d'Hoffmann

Jacques Offenbach

Opéra Bastille

from 30 November to 27 December 2023

3h30 with 2 intervals

Les Contes d'Hoffmann

Opéra Bastille - from 30 November to 27 December 2023

Synopsis

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In a tavern, the poet Hoffmann, who has just heard the diva Stella sing, tells the story of the three women he has loved: Olympia, Antonia and Giulietta, three loves thwarted by an evil spirit, Lindorf. Will his passion for Stella suffer the same fate? With this fantastic opera, drawing on the imagination of the writer E.T.A. Hoffmann, Jacques Offenbach sought to prove that he was more than a composer of lightweight works. Even though it remained unfinished after his death in 1880, the score constitutes a magnificent swan song and abounds with famous passages such as the Barcarolle and the Doll Song. Robert Carsen, always fond of portraying theatre within theatre, plunges the audience into the world of an opera house, from the stage to the wings, as his dizzying mise en abyme questions the notions of the anti-hero and the female ideal.

Duration : 3h30 with 2 intervals

Language : French

Surtitle : French / English

Show acts and characters

CHARACTERS

Hoffmann: Poet and composer
The Muse, Nicklausse: Hoffmann’s muse who has taken human form
Counsellor Lindorf: Politician who lusts after the singer Stella
Olympia: Mechanical doll
Spalanzani: Eccentric inventor, Olympia’s “father”
Coppélius: Hawker who supplied the doll’s eyes
Cochenille: Spalanzani’s assistant
Antonia: Young singer engaged to Hoffmann
Crespel: Violinist, Antonia’s father
Doctor Miracle: Evil charlatan
Frantz: Crespel’s servant
Giulietta: Venetian courtesan
Dapertutto: Venetian magician
Schlémil: Former lover of Giulietta
Pitichinaccio: Giulietta’s servant
Nathanaël, Hermann: Friends of Hoffmann
Luther: Innkeeper

First part

Prologue
Hoffmann, a poet and composer, is in love with the prima donna Stella. As the opera begins, she is appearing in her most famous role: Donna Anna in Mozart’s Don Giovanni. Hoffmann’s Muse declares that she will win back the artist and protect him from any further amorous obsessions. In order to do so, she will assume the identity of Hoffmann’s friend Nicklausse.

Counsellor Lindorf also desires the diva Stella. As the curtain falls on Act I of Don Giovanni, Luther and his waiters hurriedly prepare for the arrival of Hoffmann and his friends. Hoffmann is in an agitated state of mind, but is soon persuaded to sing one of his songs: The Story of the Dwarf Kleinzach. As he sings, he is distracted and he recalls his first love. When three of the poet’s friends boast about their mistresses, Hoffmann asks them if they would like to hear about three of his past loves. The crowd fill their glasses and prepare to listen to Hoffmann’s tales.

Act 1: Olympia
The eccentric inventor Spalanzani is hoping that his latest invention, a mechanical doll called “Olympia”, will earn him enough money to recoup his recent financial losses. Hoffmann has fallen in love with Olympia from a distance. Coppelius suddenly appears. He is the supplier of the doll’s eyes, and he has returned to obtain payment from Spalanzani. Coppelius sells Hoffmann a pair of glasses which make everything seem more beautiful. To get rid of him, Spalanzani gives him a worthless cheque. Guests now arrive and Spalanzani presents his “daughter” to them.

She attracts great admiration. Hoffmann is completely enchanted by her, and when they are left alone he declares his love. Coppelius returns vowing revenge on Spalanzani for having cheated him. Hoffmann dances with Olympia. The doll’s mechanism gets out of control and she whirls Hoffmann off in a frenetic dance. He falls and breaks his glasses. Suddenly Cochenille, Spalanzani’s assistant, rushes in: Coppelius has taken his revenge by destroying Olympia. Hoffmann discovers that his beloved was a mechanical doll as the guests laugh uproariously…

Second part

Act 2: Antonia
Antonia sings a song about lost love. Her father interrupts her, making her promise not to sing any more: Antonia has inherited her mother’s fatal illness as well as her love of singing. Before going out, Crespel instructs his servant Frantz not to let anyone into the house. However Frantz is deaf and so readily admits Hoffmann and Nicklausse. Hoffmann sings a song he once wrote for Antonia. When she appears, they rediscover their passion. Crespel returns unexpectedly and Antonia rushes away to her room. Hoffmann decides to hide.

Suddenly Dr. Miracle appears. Crespel accuses him of having intentionally killed his wife and now attempting to kill his daughter. Now aware of Antonia’s fragile health, Hoffmann persuades the reluctant girl to give up her hopes of a stage career. No sooner does he leave than Dr. Miracle reappears. He describes the fame that awaits her on the opera stage, and when Antonia hears her dead mother’s voice exhorting her to sing, she can no longer resist. As the scene reaches its climax Crespel, Hoffmann and Nicklausse rush in, but they are too late: Antonia is already dead…  

Third part

Act 3: Giulietta
In Giulietta’s bordello a party is in progress. In a cynical drinking song, Hoffmann rejects love. Dapertutto tempts Giulietta with a magnificent diamond which he promises to give her if she will obtain Hoffmann’s reflection for him, just as she earlier obtained the shadow of her present lover, Schlemil. Giulietta proceeds to seduce Hoffmann. She begs him to give her his reflection as a proof of her love. Hoffmann readily agrees. Schlemil discovers Hoffmann and Giulietta together. The two men fight a duel and Hoffmann kills his rival, only to discover Giulietta leaving with her pimp Pitichinaccio. Dapertutto adds to their mocking laughter…

Epilogue
As Hoffmann concludes the last of his three tales, the performance of Don Giovanni has ended in the theatre. Hoffmann is now completely drunk. When Stella arrives in triumph, he can barely speak to her.
The Diva leaves on Lindorf’s arm. The Muse now reappears. She instructs Hoffmann to rekindle the fire of his art, reminding him that tears are even more inspiring than love.

Artists

"Opéra fantastique" in a prologue, three acts and an epilogue (1881)

After Jules Barbier, Michel Carré
In French

Creative team

Cast

Paris Opera Orchestra and Chorus
France musique will broadcast Les Contes d'Hoffmann on Saturday January 20 in Judith Chaine's Samedi à l'Opéra.

Media

[TRAILER] LES CONTES D'HOFFMANN by Jacques Offenbach
[TRAILER] LES CONTES D'HOFFMANN by Jacques Offenbach
  • Draw-me Les Contes d'Hoffmann

    Draw-me Les Contes d'Hoffmann

    Watch the video

  • Podcast Les Contes d'Hoffmann

    Podcast Les Contes d'Hoffmann

    Listen the podcast

  • The Contes d’Hoffmann: Stage Craft for the Supernumeraries

    The Contes d’Hoffmann: Stage Craft for the Supernumeraries

    Read the article

Draw-me Les Contes d'Hoffmann

Watch the video

Understand the plot in 1 minute

1:35 min

Draw-me Les Contes d'Hoffmann

By Octave

Could there be a greater homage to the inventor of magic realism in literature than to make him the principal character of an opera in which all resemblance to reality is abolished in favour of an imaginary world with its own rules? In this work by Offenbach, Hoffmann, an ill-fated poet and composer, evokes his past love affairs and leads us through a universe in which dream and reality intermingle. Director Robert Carsen plays masterfully with this play within a play and his spectacular mise en abyme takes us behind the scenes of opera.  

© Guergana Damianova / OnP

Podcast Les Contes d'Hoffmann

Listen the podcast

Dance! Sing! Tales of Opera and Ballet

05 min

Podcast Les Contes d'Hoffmann

By Charlotte Landru-Chandès

"Dance! Sing! 7 minutes at the Paris Opera" offers original incursions into the season thanks to broadcasts produced by France Musique and the Paris Opera.

For each opera or ballet production, Charlotte Landru-Chandès (opera) and Jean-Baptiste Urbain (dance), present the works and artists you are going to discover when you attend performances in our theatres.

© Christophe Pelé / OnP

The Contes d’Hoffmann: Stage Craft for the Supernumeraries

Read the article

Interview with Marie-Françoise Sombart, head of the Supernumeraries Department

07 min

The Contes d’Hoffmann: Stage Craft for the Supernumeraries

By Irina Flament

For the revival of The Tales of Hoffmann at Opéra Bastille, Octave went to meet Marie-Françoise Sombart, the head of supernumerary actors*. Here she reveals the different aspects of her work with the supernumeraries, which she carries out in collaboration with Gilles Maurige.

What does your job consist of?

I recruit the supernumeraries needed for each operatic production and look after them from their selection until they get paid. I look for supers according to the profiles required, I organise the auditions and manage all the human resources side of their engagement (administrative information, contracts, attendance records etc.).

I am in close contact with all the departments concerned, particularly stage management with whom I work on a daily basis – in rehearsal and during performances-, but also with the production team, costumes, hair and make-up, the dressers, salaries etc.

The casting of children is a special case. During the last few seasons, stage directors have used children a lot. Their recruitment is particular in terms of how we look for them but also because of the type of dossier with a very strict legal framework which has to be sent to a commission.

To manage all this, I am assisted by Gilles Maurige, stage manager who also works with the supernumerary department at Bastille.

Robert Carsen’s production of The Tales of Hoffmann has become one of the Paris Opera’s show-case productions. How many supers are there? Is this what we call a “big” production?

The Tales of Hoffmann was first performed in 2000. Twenty years ago already!... Off the top of my head, in terms of extras, the biggest production was Francesca Zambello’s War and Peace from the spring of 2005, with 90 supernumeraries, dancers, children etc. The Tales of Hoffmann uses a total of 54 supers. That’s still a big production in terms of numbers.

Les Contes d’Hoffmann, acte II
Les Contes d’Hoffmann, acte II © Julien Benhamou / OnP

What qualities are required for this production in particular?

Robert Carsen wanted something very “dynamic” involving a lot of work on movement in the crowd scenes. It is for this reason that he asked Philippe Giraudeau to choreograph these scenes. It’s the same for the Chorus. But in these crowd scenes, each person must also play the role or roles they have been given. In this production, just for the supers, there are no fewer than thirty or so roles to play from start to finish, sometimes with very quick costume changes.

How were the auditions for Les Contes d’Hoffmann organised?

Robert Carsen, as is sometimes the case, wanted to re-audition in 2010, because of the television broadcast. The previous cast and the director’s specifications made it clear what kinds of profiles were required: a range of builds and ages and the ability to work in a group.

Since that second audition, the cast has evolved and changes have been made in the spirit required by the production. Often, indeed, the director does not return for the revival of his production so the work is carried out in close collaboration with the assistant directors.

Les Contes d’Hoffmann, épilogue
Les Contes d’Hoffmann, épilogue © Julien Benhamou / OnP

Where do the supernumeraries come from? Is there a “pool” of them? Can anyone audition?

The supernumeraries who work at the Paris Opera are mainly show business professionals. They’re from theatre, dance or the circus. They’re trained and qualified in their field (theatre school, conservatoires, performing arts schools etc.) and are also freelance professionals.

We have a list that we add to every time a new artist is hired. In that sense, we can talk about a pool. We call upon them every time their profile corresponds to the requirements of the production. But we always try to integrate new artists who want to come and perform at a big opera house. In that case, we look at the CVs we have received and publicise the auditions in the various specialised establishments or, when we have very specific requirements, at employment agencies for the performing arts.

The auditions are closed. For organisational reasons for one thing: in the past there was an open casting call for which an endless queue of artists formed at 120 rue Lyon. We couldn’t see everybody because the director cannot spend the entire day on that. And also, for artistic reasons. The director asks for particular profiles and my role is to give him a selection of people that correspond to what he has asked for. My role as a filter is necessary to ensure the quality of the audition.

Has the work of the supernumerary department changed over the years?

I wouldn’t say that the work has changed. Our mission is always the same: finding the artist that corresponds to the role the director wants to develop on stage. And to permit that artist to do what s/he has been engaged to do under the best conditions.

New computer technology has made the job easier, allowing us to collate all the data on the artists we hire, thus to research according to profile and measurements. But one can assess the evolution of the supers in new productions.

The demands of stage directors are more exacting. Dmitri Tcherniakov, for example, has a very precise idea of the profiles he’s looking for. And since he’s been directing at the Paris Opera, it is not unusual to have to organise several auditions for the same production, until he’s found what he wants. And it’s very satisfying at the end to find it... at last!

Another requirement: that of finding the artists who will bring a “plus” to the production, without knowing what will make that “plus”! This was the case with Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk, directed by Krzysztof Warlikowski last season. He wanted a circus act without knowing exactly what kind or with whom. We therefore had to audition a lot of circus artists, whilst imagining their specialism and the effects that might best suit the wedding scene. And it was a hula hoop artist and somebody doing a balancing act with a baton who finally provided the effect we’d been looking for.

Finally, other kinds of profiles have emerged. Romeo Castellucci wanted to work on Moses and Aaron with handicapped artists. And there, it was a whole parallel system of organisation that had to be put in place in order to accommodate them. Dmitri Tcherniakov asked for the same thing last season for The Trojans but the autonomy of the people we hired, amputated but with prosthetic legs, made the arrangements simpler.

In both cases, it was the research that was very complicated and lengthy!

Depending on the Stage management department   

  • [EXTRAIT] LES CONTES D'HOFFMANN by Jacques Offenbach - Air d'Olympia (Pretty Yende)
  • [EXTRAIT] LES CONTES D'HOFFMANN by Jacques Offenbach "Hélas, mon cœur s'égare encore"
  • [EXTRAIT] LES CONTES D'HOFFMANN by Jacques Offenbach - Légende de Kleinzack (Benjamin Bernheim)
  • [EXTRAIT] LES CONTES D'HOFFMANN by Jacques Offenbach (Christian Van Horn)
  • [EXTRAIT] LES CONTES D'HOFFMANN by Jacques Offenbach (Benjamin Bernheim)
  • Les Contes d'Hoffmann - C'est une chanson d'amour

  • Les Contes d'Hoffmann - L'air d'Olympia

  • Les Contes d'Hoffmann - La légende de Kleinzach

  • Les Contes d'Hoffmann - Jacques Offenbach

Press

  • A show magnified by Robert Carsen's masterful production.

    Olyrix, 2016
  • The Tales of Hoffmann, now known as Robert Carsen's Tales of Hoffmann, will remain an anthology show.

    Connaissance des Arts, 2023
  • In a new miracle, these Tales - and our century - have finally found their Hoffmann. Ideal: that's the word that spontaneously springs to mind to describe Benjamin Bernheim's incarnation.

    Diapason, 2023
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Les Contes d'Hoffmann


Watch online the recording from season 16/17 on Paris Opera Play, with Ramón Vargas, Nadine Koutcher, Kate Aldrich, Ermonela Jaho, Stéphanie d'Oustrac...

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Opéra Bastille

Place de la Bastille

75012 Paris

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Underground Bastille (lignes 1, 5 et 8), Gare de Lyon (RER)

Bus 29, 69, 76, 86, 87, 91, N01, N02, N11, N16

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    Reservation of drinks and light refreshments for the intervals is possible online up to 24 hours prior to your visit, or at the bars before each performance.

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    You can park your car at the Q-Park Opéra Bastille. It is located at 34 rue de Lyon, 75012 Paris. 

    BOOK YOUR PARKING PLACE.

In both our venues, discounted tickets are sold at the box offices from 30 minutes before the show:

  • €35 tickets for under-28s, unemployed people (with documentary proof less than 3 months old) and senior citizens over 65 with non-taxable income (proof of tax exemption for the current year required)
  • €70 tickets for senior citizens over 65

Get samples of the operas and ballets at the Paris Opera gift shops: programmes, books, recordings, and also stationery, jewellery, shirts, homeware and honey from Paris Opera.

Opéra Bastille
  • Open 1h before performances and until performances end
  • Get in from within the theatre’s public areas
  • For more information: +33 1 40 01 17 82

Opéra Bastille

Place de la Bastille

75012 Paris

Public transport

Underground Bastille (lignes 1, 5 et 8), Gare de Lyon (RER)

Bus 29, 69, 76, 86, 87, 91, N01, N02, N11, N16

Calculate my route
Car park

Q-Park Opéra Bastille 34, rue de Lyon 75012 Paris

Book your parking spot
super alt text
super alt text
super alt text
super alt text

Imagined as benchmark, richly illustrated booklets, the programmes can be bought online, at the box offices, in our shops, and in the theatres hall on the evening of the performance.

BUY THE PROGRAM
  • Cloakrooms

    Free cloakrooms are at your disposal. The comprehensive list of prohibited items is available here.

  • Bars

    Reservation of drinks and light refreshments for the intervals is possible online up to 24 hours prior to your visit, or at the bars before each performance.

  • Parking

    You can park your car at the Q-Park Opéra Bastille. It is located at 34 rue de Lyon, 75012 Paris. 

    BOOK YOUR PARKING PLACE.

In both our venues, discounted tickets are sold at the box offices from 30 minutes before the show:

  • €35 tickets for under-28s, unemployed people (with documentary proof less than 3 months old) and senior citizens over 65 with non-taxable income (proof of tax exemption for the current year required)
  • €70 tickets for senior citizens over 65

Get samples of the operas and ballets at the Paris Opera gift shops: programmes, books, recordings, and also stationery, jewellery, shirts, homeware and honey from Paris Opera.

Opéra Bastille
  • Open 1h before performances and until performances end
  • Get in from within the theatre’s public areas
  • For more information: +33 1 40 01 17 82

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3 min

Les Contes d'Hoffmann

The Tales of Hoffmann: the true/false story

Poor Hoffmann is one disappointment after another... Can you sort out the real from the fake? It's up to you!

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