SEATTLE – Seattle Opera’s current production of “The Tales of Hoffmann” will surely rank among its finest productions.
This opera works on every level – musically, dramatically and visually – a seamless production that is pure pleasure on every count.
It’s a major achievement given the many variables possible in any production of “Hoffmann:” Composer Jacques Offenbach died before he finished the work, and in more than a century of productions the opera has been subject to much tinkering.
Fans were in opera heaven at last Saturday’s opening night production, responding with thunderous applause to the artistry of the singers, the beauty of the sets and costumes and some dazzling special effects.
The superlatives begin with director Chris Alexander, who has fashioned a coherent and compelling narrative, bringing together the many characters, plots and subplots of the story of Hoffmann, a poet with a weakness for drink and bad luck with women.
A drinking song opens the opera, with glowing wine and beer bottles in phosphorescent paint dancing merrily along under black light. Hoffmann (sung superbly by tenor Vinson Cole on opening night) relates in flashback the bad luck he’s had with three girlfriends.
Olympia is a mechanical doll, but thanks to a pair of rose-colored glasses, Hoffmann sees her as a woman to be desired. Antonia is a young beauty doomed to literally sing herself to death. Giulietta is a courtesan who steals Hoffmann’s reflection and his soul with a trick mirror.
There are four villains ready to trip up Hoffmann at every turn, and each was sung on opening night by bass-baritone John Relyea in a riveting performance. You know it’s going to be a great evening of opera when you can’t wait for the villain to appear. Relyea conveyed real menace and evil, and produced a beautifully burnished sound.
“Hoffmann” is performed by a large cast of singers (with five of the top roles performed by an alternate cast for some of the performances).
The principal women’s roles – including Marie Plette as Antonia, Nancy Fabiloa Herrera as Giulietta, Helene Schneidierman as the poet’s Muse – are accomplished singers and actors.
And Harolyn Blackwell nearly stopped the show with her portrayal of Olympia, a wide-eyed mechanical doll with a startling resemblance to one of the robots in the silent film classic “Metropolis.” She made Olympia’s famous aria, a showcase for the coloratura soprano, a musical highlight of the performance.
Tenor Doug Jones sang four different roles with aplomb and the venerable Archie Drake, who just turned 80, celebrated his birthday and his 38th season with the opera on opening night.
Robert Dahlstrom’s sets are a marvel, including a stunning re-creation of the Grand Canal in Venice with gondolas gliding along a glassy sea and the soaring dome of the church of Santa Maria della Salute in the background.
Marie-Theresa Cramer’s fabulous costumes offer a rich tapestry of designs.
A major contribution to the success of this production comes from conductor Dean Williamson, who gave an expert reading of the score. And mention must be made of Jonathan Dean’s captions, which go a long way to making this old opera modern and full of comic notes.
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