Offenbach: Les Contes d'Hoffmann (Jeffrey Tate, Francisco Araiza, Jessye Norman, Anne Sofie von Otter) [1992] EAC Rip | FLAC, IMG+CUE, LOG | Covers | 3cd, 717.48 MB
Classical | Label: DECCA
It would be hard to find an opera in any area of the repertory that presents so many textual problems as Les conies d'Holfmann, largely stemming from the fact that the composer died four months before the premiere early in 1881, leaving the score incomplete. The traditional text, bringing in extra material, much of it unauthentic, and leaving out a lot, was only established this century. Arthur Hammond with the Carl Rosa Company was a pioneer in attempting to sort out a more acceptable text, and his work formed the basis of the English National Opera production at the Coliseum and also the Richard Bonynge recording for Decca. Since then the discovery of no less than 1,250 autograph pages allowed Fritz Oeser to produce his monumental edition, as used extensively in the Cambreling recording for EMI (12/88 —nla). That extended the piece to Wagnerian lengths, but since then still more material has been uncovered, involving some 350 more manuscript pages, which have been researched by Michael Kaye to form the basis for his new edition published by Schott in 1991. Though the edition was not complete at the time the Dresden recording sessions were held (June 1987-June 1989), this new Philips set is based on his material, aiming in Jeffrey Tate's words to come "as close as we can to envisage the score and the drama that Offenbach conceived before his untimely death".
One big difference here from the complete Oeser edition, as presented by Cambreling, is that dialogue replaces all the recitatives written by Ernest Guiraud. The Bonynge text similarly replaces recitative with spoken dialogue, but this new set uses far more. As with Oeser the Prologue is more extended, showing the transformation of the Muse into Nicklausse, with extra material in the Olympia and Antonia acts too, much as the striking trio for Hoffmann, Nicklausse and Coppelius. Also, Tate points out that "the Giulietta act contains music that shows conclusively that Offenbach would have wanted a single voice to embody all of Hoffmann's female infatuations". A fascinating illustration of that comes in the jaunty couplets, "L'amour lui dit: la belle", leading into exchanges and a duet reprise with Hoffmann. It is a jolly little piece, close in style to earlier Offenbach, which in its lightness and use of high coloratura radically alters one's conception of the character of the Venetian femme fatale. Needless to say, Cheryl Studer, has no problems here over high coloratura, but in context it does tend to take you by surprise.
One big difference here from the complete Oeser edition, as presented by Cambreling, is that dialogue replaces all the recitatives written by Ernest Guiraud. The Bonynge text similarly replaces recitative with spoken dialogue, but this new set uses far more. As with Oeser the Prologue is more extended, showing the transformation of the Muse into Nicklausse, with extra material in the Olympia and Antonia acts too, much as the striking trio for Hoffmann, Nicklausse and Coppelius. Also, Tate points out that "the Giulietta act contains music that shows conclusively that Offenbach would have wanted a single voice to embody all of Hoffmann's female infatuations". A fascinating illustration of that comes in the jaunty couplets, "L'amour lui dit: la belle", leading into exchanges and a duet reprise with Hoffmann. It is a jolly little piece, close in style to earlier Offenbach, which in its lightness and use of high coloratura radically alters one's conception of the character of the Venetian femme fatale. Needless to say, Cheryl Studer, has no problems here over high coloratura, but in context it does tend to take you by surprise.
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Tracklisting:
CD1
1. Prélude. Acte I. Introduction: Glou!... (les esprits invisibles)
2. La vérité, dit-on, sortait d'un puits (la Muse, les esprits invisibles)
3. Dialogue: Allons! mes enfants, préparez cette sale! (Lindorf, Andrès)
4. Voyons: Pour Hoffmann! (Lindorf)
5. Récit: Deux heures devant moi (Lindorf)
6. Vive Dieu! (Nathanael, les étudiants, Hermann…)
7. Bonjour amis! (Hoffmann, Nicklausse…)
8. Chanson et Scène: Il était une fois à la cour d'Eisenach (Hoffmann, les étudiants…)
9. Finale: Peuh! cette bière est detestable! (Hoffmann, les étudiants…)
10. Duo: Et par où votre diablerie (Hoffmann, Lindorf, Nicklausse…)
11. Je vous dis, moi, qu'un malheur me menace! (Hoffmann, Lindorf…)
12. Entr'acte
13. Acte II. OLYMPIA. Là! charmante! (Spalanzani, Hoffmann)
14. Allons! courage et confiance (Hoffmann, Nicklausse)
15. Une poupée aux yeux d'émail (Nicklausse, Hoffmann)
16. Récit et Trio: C'est moi, Coppélius (Coppelius, Nicklausse, Hoffmann)
17. Je me nomme Coppélius (Coppelius, Hoffmann, Nicklausse)
18. Serviteur (Hoffmann, Coppelius, Nicklausse)
19. Tout est prêt (Spalanzani, Hoffmann)
20. Choeur et Couplets: Non, aucun hôte vraiment
21. Couplets: Les oiseaux dans la charmille (Olympia, les invités)
22. Ah! mon ami, quel accent (Hoffmann, Nicklausse, Spalanzani…)
CD2
01. Scène et Romance: Ils se sont éloignés, enfin! (Hoffmann, Olympia)
02. Tu me fuis? (Hoffmann, Nicklausse, Coppélius)
03. Voici les valseurs (Spalanzani, Cochenille, Hoffmann...)
04. Acte III. ANTONIA. Entr'acte. Romance: Elle a fui, la tourterelle! (Antonia)
05. Dialogue: Malheureuse enfant! (Crespel, Antonia, Frantz)
06. Couplets: Jour et nuit, je me mets en quatre (Frantz)
07. Dialogue: Voilà ce brave Frantz (Hoffmann, Franrz, Nicklausse)
08. Romance: Vois sous l'archet frémissant (Nicklausse)
09. Dialogue: Ah! tu doutes de tout! (Hoffmann, Nicklausse, Antonia)
10. Pourtant, ô man fiancée (Hoffmann, Antonia)
11. C'est une chanson d'amour (Antonia, Hoffmann)
12. Dialogue: Qu'as to donc? Tu souffres? (Hoffmann, Antonia, Crespel, Frantz)
13. Trio: Pour conjurer le danger (Miracle, Hoffmann, Crespel, Antonia)
14. Dialogue - Mélodrame: Ne plus chater!... Voilà son arrêt! (Hoffmann, Antonia)
15. Trio: Tu ne chanteras plus? (Miracle, Antonia)
16. Ta mère? Oses-tu l'invoquer? (Miracle, la voix, Antonia)
17. Finale: Mon enfant! Ma fille! (Crespel, Antonia, Hoffmann, Nicklausse, Miracle)
CD3
01. Acte IV. GIULIETTA. Entr'acte et [Barcarolle]
02. Messieurs, silence! (Hoffmann)
03. Belle nuit, o nuit d’amour (Nicklausse, Giulietta, les gondoliers)
04. Récit et Couplets: Et moi, ce n'est pas là ce qui m'enchante (Hoffmann, les invités)
05. A merveille, madame (Schlemil, Giulietta, Dapertutto, Nicklausse, Hoffmann)
06. Chanson: Tourne, tourne, miroir (Dapertutto)
07. Dialogue: Charmante! (Dapertutto, Giulietta, Schlemil"
08. Giulietta, palsembleu! (les invités, Hoffmann, Schlemil, Dapertutto...)
09. L'amour lui dit: la belle, vos yeux étaient fermés! (Giulietta, Hoffmann, Schlemil...)
10. Tiens, mes cartes! (Hoffmann, Nicklausse, Pitchinaccio...)
11. Morbleu! (Schlemil, Dapertutto, Pitchinaccio)
12. Il a ma clé (Giulietta, les gondoliers, Nicklausse, Hoffmann, Schlemil)
13. Duo: Ton ami dit vrai (Giulietta, Hoffmann)
14. Romance: O Dieu, de quelle ivresse (Hoffmann)
15. Jusque là, cependant (Giulietta, Hoffmann)
16. Dialogue - Mélodrame: La voilà, donc (Giulietta, Dapertutto, Hoffmann)
17. Acte V. STELLA. Folie! Oublie tes douleurs! (les étudiants)
18. Dialogue: Voilà, mes amis (Hoffmann, Nathanael, Hermann...)
19. Pour le coeur du Phryné (Hoffmann, les etudiants)
20. Dialogue - Finale - Apothéose: Arrière, tous (la Muse, tous)
Performers:
Hoffmann – Francisco Araiza
Lindorf/ Coppélius/ Dapertutto/ Miracle – Samuel Ramay
Spalanzani – Riccardo Cassinelli
Crespel – Boris Martinovitch
Peter Schlemil – Jean-Luc Chaignaud
Andrés/ Cochenille/ Pitichinaccio/ Frantz – Georges Gautier
Luther – Rolf Tomaszewski
Nathanaël – Peter Menzel
Hermann – Jürgen Hartfiel
Olympia – Eva Lind
Antonia – Jessye Norman
Giulietta – Cheryl Studer
Nicklausse/La Muse – Anne Sofie von Otter
La voix de la mère d’Antonia – Felicity Palmer
Rundfunkchor Leipzig
Staatskapelle Dresden
Conductor - Jeffrey Tate
