Tales of Hoffman at the Royal Opera House review: an engaging and thought-provoking production

The eponymous stories successful Offenbach’s Tales of Hoffmann each diagnostic an inamorata from the German writer’s life. In Damiano Michieletto’s caller accumulation astatine the Royal Opera House they illustration a trajectory from puppy emotion done a much mature, empathic narration to the fateful liaison with a courtesan successful a Venetian palace.

Hoffmann espies his archetypal love, Olympia, successful a schoolroom among the globes and blackboard. He and his classmates are successful shorts and their antics are suitably puerile, adjacent if there’s much than a hint of deviancy successful Hoffmann’s crush connected a doll. Given that she’s playing an automaton, Olga Pudova’s mechanical phrasing and coloratura (stunningly awesome arsenic the second is) arsenic Olympia are possibly forgivable if uningratiating.

Olympia’s eccentric creator Spalanzani and the magic spectacles supplied by his erstwhile spouse Coppélius connection decorator Paolo Fantin abundant opportunities for surreal props. His sets, embracing the modern satellite and the phantasmagorical sphere alike, exuberantly lit by Alessandro Carletti, are almighty drivers of this engaging, thought-provoking production.

The champion of it is to beryllium seen successful the Antonia and Giulietta acts. Antonia’s opening aria astir a mislaid emotion brought a warmth of code and exquisite phrasing from Ermonela Jaho that pierced the heart, each the much truthful erstwhile it was revealed that her impairment, successful this production, is carnal alternatively than vocal – she’s a dancer not a singer.

The power makes consciousness – her vocal attributes mightiness somewhat undermine the diagnosis of a fatal thorax ailment – but her crutches besides spend a graphic representation of disability, notwithstanding a subtle proposition that her incapacity is simply a visualisation of deficiency of agency. The Faustian prime she’s offered present is betwixt home bliss (with an avowedly faithful and loving husband) and a fulfilling vocation arsenic a dancer. The grade to which each 3 of Hoffmann’s lovers are controlled successful 1 mode oregon different is astutely pointed up by Michieletto.

Marina Costa-Jackson’s vibrato-rich Giulietta is somewhat escaped of line, but she surely makes a vivid impression. So excessively does Alex Esposito arsenic the Four Villains. His steely, powerfully projected code makes him a formidable adversary, adjacent if his pantomimic diablerie is intended, 1 assumes, to suggest a “real” alternatively than supernatural figure.

Juan Diego Florez is unafraid successful the taxing relation of Hoffmann, though his code sounded under-nourished connected this occasion. Julie Boulianne’s voluptuous mezzo is superbly exploited arsenic Nicklausse. Christine Rice delivers a good Muse and Alastair Miles a stalwart Crespel. The singing and acting of the Royal Opera Chorus are some fantabulous and determination are endearing contributions from a radical of babe ballet dancers, successful summation to the big members of the Royal Ballet, each choreographed by Chiara Vecchi.

Antonello Manacorda secured good playing from the orchestra, bringing rhythmic vigour wherever required but besides a delicate interaction to the assorted transformations of the celebrated Barcarolle.