Vittorio Grigolo sings the title role of the tortured poet in Offenbach’s glittering treatment of the stories of E.T.A. Hoffmann. Bartlett Sher’s production provides a vibrant backdrop for this operatic journey through the hero’s many love affairs. Johannes Debus conducts.
Creators
Jacques Offenbach (1819–1880) was born Jacob Offenbach in Cologne, Germany, of Jewish ancestry. He moved to Paris in 1833, where he became a hugely successful composer of almost 100 operettas. Jules Barbier (1825–1901) was the librettist for many operas, including Gounod’s Faust and Roméo et Juliette. He frequently collaborated with Michel Carré (1822–1872), with whom he wrote the play on which the Hoffmann libretto is based. E.T.A. Hoffmann (1776–1822) was a German author and composer whose stories have inspired a variety of subsequent works, including Tchaikovsky’s ballet The Nutcracker.
Production Bartlett Sher
Set Designer Michael Yeargan
Costume Designer Catherine Zuber
Lighting Designer James F. Ingalls
Choreographer Dou Dou Huang