[.ca] Tales Of Hoffmann

The Best "TRADITIONAL" Hoffman On Record.:
This is not the Best HOFFMAN you can get. That would probably be the Bonynge-Domingo-Sutherland or the Camberling, with Neil Shicoff (Not availble on this site, except in Highlight form.) or even the Geddai-De Los Angeles Version. However, none of these versions present the "Traditional Approch" (Domingo's has Dialouge, Camberling's is the "Oeser" edition, and the Geddai has a male Nicklausse.) For a "Traditonal experiance, Get this baby here. The Conducting is in the capable hands of Julius Rudel, how knows just what to do with the score. The London Symphony Orchestra seems to be on a telepathic link with him and the tone of the peice. For the Performers , It is only fair to start with the Devine Miss Sills. She attempts all three heroines here, as well as a bit part as Stella. As Olympia, she does not go for the dazzling, optional high notes Sutherland does, but her comic performance of the "Doll Song" is enchanting. She is, perhaps, at her best as Guiletta and Antonia ,her voice effortlessly and expertly convaying the two different women. She is possibly the most hypnotic Guiletta on record. As good as she is, however, she is not the best. that Would Be Sutherland. As Hoffman, Stuart Burrows is good, but not great. He sings well enough, but his acting leaves something to be desired. As the four Villians,Norman Treigle is electrfying. His Dappertutto hypotic, his Lindorf oozing smile, his Coppelius creepy, and his Miracle downright frightining. He is especaily good in the men's trio in the third act. Susanne Marsee handles Nicklausse and the muse well, but is not given any real chance to show herself off. Nico Castel handels Franz effortlessly, but seems uncomfertable as Spalanzani and Andres. Robert Lloyd delivers an excelent Crespel and Patriaca Kern shows herself well as the Mother. Raimund Herincx could be better as Schemil and Hermann, but Bernard Dickerson provides strong support as Natheanael and Cochenille. The chorus work is well done as well. 4/5

My Favorite Hoffman, Hands Down:
On a Texaco Metropolitan Opera broadcast, a panelist of the opera quiz was asked what opera he would choose if he was stranded on a desert island. He selected THE TALES OF HOFFMAN since there are so many versions of the opera, as well as a mention of DON GIOVANNI., he would easily have more than one opera. Since Offenbach died before an official version was completed, there are a number of versions of the opera. This production, starring Beverly Sills as Stella and the major heroines: Olympia, Giulietta, and Antonia, under the direction of conductor Julius Rudel, is the standard version of the work. If I could only take one version of this opera on a desert island, this recording would definitely be my choice. I became familiar with this red cording when it was released on cassette by EMI. Hoffman, sung by tenor Stuart Burrows, is a down on his luck writer who is madly in love with the beautiful actress Stella. His love life is in shambles and he is an alcoholic to boot. He goes to a tavern to tell three tales, and the tales somehow reflect the pain he feels caused by his love for Stella. Burrows is a gifted tenor and he sings the role with both ease and dramatic gifts. Sills as the three heroines is perhaps at he bets and easily handles the challenges of the three roles. Julius Rudel keeps the score moving and is aided by the great London Symphony Orchestra and the equally great John Aldis Choir. Anyone who peruses through the various HOFFMAN offerings will notice a variety of editions. While this is not a critical edition, I do find it the version which flows the best. I also have a number of HOFFMAN recordings with Neil Shicoff, Francisco Araiza, and Placido Domingo in the title role. While each recording has its strengths, this is the one I enjoy most. The tempo is upbeat, the singing first rate, and the orchestra and chorus are excellent. Who could ask for more?

I'm sorry:
I'm sorry if I hurt anyone. I was just so mad and angry because Callas got bashed so many times by a Sills-Fanatic. I deeply apologise. Sills has a very beautiful voice, one of the best lyric coloratura voices out there. I hope Bev's fans will forgive me. Sills is an amazing Olympia btw.

Adequate:
Sutherland, Callas and Sills. And the venom is spewed and the imbecilic attacks rage on. They were all three wonderful. So are others, but I for one like them the best. Callas was my first love, she's strange, but I still like her, her vicious off-stage personality (which I have a recording of) notwithstanding. How silly! I don't like Sutherland singing anything but coloratura, sorry, but all else bores me. I bought a CD of her Suor Angelica and hated and trashed it. But coloratura, she's a dream. Sills, however, is my favorite. I can't resist that silky, butter melting on a plate voice of hers. And her coloratura (and Callas') is no schlock either. But this opera. It was smooth and warm and beautiful. The sound quality was perfect. It was all sung in French, and for once the opera sounded it. It begins with some spoken dialogue (by the Muse) which turned me off and I was mad as hell and decided to throw the thing away, I thought I had been duped, cheated into another comic opera. But (sigh), I went back and discovered to my joy that it is all sung, and beautifully. Sills plays all Hoffman's loves. The trio at the end of Antonia's act was wonderful as far as the women went, but (sigh) Dr. Miracle was again the weak link. No one I've heard beats Bacquier on the Sutherland (a version with dialogue, sad to say) recording, but this one came close. The trio was beautiful of course (with that music and good singers, how could it miss), but I thought it lacked the spark on Sutherland's version. I'm sure I've enraged Callas fanatics and Sutherland devotees and maybe even a Sills fan or two. So be it. The order of acts are Olympia, Giulietta and Antonia. I enjoyed the opera which arrived yesterday and which I listened to this morning. If you like/love Sills as I do, I recommend it. Otherwise it's just another Hoffmann.

A Spectacular Studio Recording: The Best:
This 1972 studio recording is the ultimate Tales Of Hoffman. The recording was originally an LP on the ABC label in the Westminster Legacy issues, but digitally remastered and edited for cd by Deutsche Grammophon. Deutsche Grammophone cd labels are famous for remastering legendary and classic recordings of classical music and opera and they have outdone themselves again with this one. It features virtuoso singers at the top of their game and the orchestra is directed under the baton of the seasoned conductor Julius Rudel. Singing the three heroines Olympia, Giuletta and Antonia is the incredible Beverly Sills whose dynamics are the real gem in this recording, singing the hopeless romantic Hoffman is lyric tenor Stuart Burrows and singing the diabolical villains is the unsurpassed baritone Norman Treigle. These same singers, among them mezzo soprano Susan Marsee in the role of Nicklausse and the Muse, have performed The Tales Of Hoffman many times and made it popular here in America, where it might have become obscure and neglected or rarely performed. But thanks to the efforts of Beverly Sills and her New York City Opera group, this opera is here to stay. Jacques Offenbach's opera was drawn from three seperate stories by writer E.T.A. Hoffman ( a fantasy and horror novelist of the 19th century who was like the Stephen King of his day) The story follows the bohemian and unlucky-in-love poet Hoffman finally getting his one big chance at love when he receives a letter from the opera diva Stella to meet him at a bar. The scheming Councilor Lindorf (whom we are lead to believe is the Devil incarnate and who has ruined Hoffman's oppurtunities at love many times before) has intercepted the letter and decides to foil Hoffman's chance at love once more. Sure enough, Hoffman comes into the tavern and in his depressed mood, drinks himself under the table, but not before telling his melancholy tales of thwarted love. The first is a blind love with a robotic doll (Olympia)which is shattered when he realizes she was only an invention from the inventor he worked for, the second (Giuletta)with a materialistic Venetian courtesan who dumps him and the last, true love with the sickly daughter of a violin-maker and an opera diva (Antonia) who sings to her death. Beverly Sills, Stuart Burrows and Norman Treigle are the real strength behind this recording. They had performed together before in 1965, when they first launched the opera to New York City and to American audiences, including New Orleans. Stuart Burrows as Hoffman is a perfect combination of romantic despair, tender love and "tenor di grazie" lyricism- just listen to Burrows singing "O Dieu De Quelle Ivresse" and all of his duets with Beverly Sills. Norman Treigle's dark baritone vocal style is similar to Samuel Ramey. In fact, Norman Treigle most influenced Samuel Ramey. Norman Treigle was the lead baritone of the New York City Opera, an evil, diabolical timbre to his voice, sinister laughter and snarl in his voice makes him the best interpretor of the villains- Lindorf, Coppelius, Dappertuto and Dr. Miracle. Just listen to Treigle on fire in the arias - "Dans le role de amoreux", "Scintille Diamant" and his part in the trio in which as Dr. Miracle, he casts a dark spell over Antonia, who together with the ghost of her mother, is spurred to sing to her fatal demise. Last but certainly not least, Beverly Sills. She is the best interpretor of the heroines. Everyone is free to make their own picks for favorites and for their choice of the best. The threesome roles have been performed by such celebrated artists as Joan Sutherland and Edita Gruberova. Beverly Sills has got to be acknowledged. She knew the three heroine parts even as a very young girl, her French diction was perfect and even enhanced by the fact she was fluent in the French language, her versatility is proven in the different type of singing for the Hoffman women-mechanical, wooden, comedic and full of firework coloratura as Olympia, seductive and cruel as Giuletta and hapless, romantic and frail as Antonia (her version of Elle e fui La Turterelle and her Death Scene with Dr. Miracle is by far the best). Kudos to Deutsche Grammophon for resurfacing this brilliant recording.

• Act I (Prologue). Prelude Et Introduction: Prelude - Susanne Marsee
• Act I (Prologue). Prelude Et Introduction: Glou! Glou! Glou! Glou! - John Alldis Choir
• Act I. Recitatif Et Couplets: Le Conseiller Lindorf, Morbleu! - Norman Treigle
• Act I. Recitatif Et Couplets: Dans Les Roles D'Amoureux Langoureux - Norman Treigle
• Act I. Scene Et Choeur: Deux Heures Devant Moi! - John Noble
• Act I. Scene Et Choeur: Drig! Drig! Drig! Maitre Luther - John Alldis Choir
• Act I. Scene Et Chanson: Vive Dieu! Mes Amis, La Belle Creature! - John Alldis Choir
• Act I. Scene Et Chanson: Il Etait Une Fois A La Cour D'Eisenach - John Alldis Choir
• Act I. Finale: Peuh! Cette Biere Est Detestable! - John Alldis Choir
• Act I. Finale: Simple Echange De Politesses! - John Alldis Choir
• Act I. Entr'acte: Entr'acte - John Alldis Choir
• Act II - Olympia. Scene, Recitatif Et Couplets: La! Dors En Paix - Stuart Burrows
• Act II - Olympia. Scene, Recitatif Et Couplets: Allons! Courage Et Confiance - Ah! Vivre A Deux - Stuart Burrows
• Act II - Olympia. Scene, Recitatif Et Couplets: Pardieu! J'Etais Bien Sur - Stuart Burrows
• Act II - Olympia: Recitatif, Trio Et Scene: C'Est Moi, Coppelius - Stuart Burrows
• Act II - Olympia: Recitatif, Trio Et Scene: J'ai Des Yeux, De Vrais Yeux - Stuart Burrows
• Act II - Olympia: Recitatif, Trio Et Scene: Ha! Vous? - Stuart Burrows
• Act II - Olympia: Scene Avec Choeur, Couplets Et Recitatif: Non, Aucun Hote Vraiment - John Alldis Choir
• Act II - Olympia: Scene Avec Choeur, Couplets Et Recitatif: Les Oiseaux Dans La Charmille - John Alldis Choir
• Act II - Olympia: Scene Avec Choeur, Couplets Et Recitatif: Ah! Mon Ami! Quel Accent! - John Alldis Choir
• Act II - Olympia: Recitatif Et Romance: Ils Se Sont Eloignes Enfin! - Stuart Burrows
• Act II - Olympia: Finale: Scene Et Valse: Tu Me Fuis? - Stuart Burrows
• Act II - Olympia: Finale: Scene Et Valse: Voici Les Valseurs! - John Alldis Choir
• Act III - Giulietta: Barcarolle: Belle Nuit, O Nuit D'amour - John Alldis Choir
• Act III: Giulietta - Recitatif Et Couplets Bachiques: Et Moi, Ce N'est Pas La - Stuart Burrows
• Act III Giulietta: Recitatif Et Couplets Bachiques: Amis, L'amour Tendre Et Reveur, Erreur! - Stuart Burrows
• Act III Giulietta: Scene: Je Vois Qu'on Est En Fete - Stuart Burrows
• Act III Giulietta: Chanson Et Scene: Scintille, Diamant - Norman Treigle
• Act III Giulietta: Chanson Et Scene: Cher Ange! - Stuart Burrows
• Act III Giulietta: Duo Et Scene: Malheureux, Tu Ne Comprends Donc Pas / O Dieu, De Quelle Ivresse / Si Ta Presence M'est Ravie - Stuart Burrows
• Act III Giulietta: Duo Et Scene: Schlemil! - Stuart Burrows
• Act III Giulietta: Septuor: Helas, Nom Coeur S'egare Encore - Stuart Burrows
• Act III Giulietta: Septuor: Ecoutex, Messieurs - Stuart Burrows
• Act III Giulietta: Entr'acte: Entr'acte - John Alldis Choir
• Act IV Antonia: Romance Et Scene: Elle A Fui, La Tourterelle - Beverly Sills
• Act IV Antonia: Romance Et Scene: Malheureuse Enfant - Robert Lloyd
• Act IV Antonia: Couplets Et Scene: Jour Et Nuit Je Me Mets En Quatre - Nico Castel
• Act IV Antonia: Couplets Et Scene: Frantz!... C'est Ici! - Stuart Burrows
• Act IV Antonia: Recitatif Et Duo: C'est Une Chanson D'amour - Stuart Burrows
• Act IV Antonia: Recitatif Et Duo: J'ai Le Bonheur Dans L'ame! - Stuart Burrows
• Act IV Antonia: Scene: Qu'as-tu Donc? - Robert Lloyd
• Act IV Antonia: Trio Et Scene: Pour Conjurer Le Danger - Robert Lloyd
• Act IV Antonia: Trio Et Scene: Ne Plus Chanter! - Stuart Burrows
• Act IV Antonia: Finale: Scene Et Trio: Tu Ne Chanteras Plus? - Beverly Sills
• Act IV Antonia: Finale: Scene Et Trio: Chere Enfant Que J'appelle - Beverly Sills
• Act IV Antonia: Finale: Scene Et Trio: Mon Enfant! Ma Fille! - Robert Lloyd
• Act IV Antonia: Entr'acte: Entr'acte - John Alldis Choir
• Epilogue Stella: Scene Et Choeur: Voila Quelle Fut L'histoire De Mes Amours - Stuart Burrows
• Epilogue Stella: Scene Et Choeur: Vidons Les Tonneaux! - Stuart Burrows
• Epilogue Stella: Scene Et Choeur: Et Moi? Moi, La Fidele Amie - Stuart Burrows
• Epilogue Stella: Scene Et Choeur: Non, Ivre Mort - Norman Treigle