- Collect Paper Tickets @ Box Office
- No Cancellation
- Children Under 1.2m Not Permitted
- All Attendees Require a Ticket
- Show Lasts 3 hrs (with intermisson)
Les Contes d'Hoffmann is the last work of light opera master Jacques Offenbach, also one of his most famous opera compositions. The prototype of the hero is German writer and poet E.T.A Hoffmann, which tells a fantastic love story of Huffman and three women. Hoffmann experiences romantic loves, but each love ends with tragedy, repeated blows make the poet lack enthusiasm for love, and devotes himself to art and poetry.
The music can be hailed as brilliant, including coloratura aria The Doll Song and the romantic and wonderful Barcarolle. This masterpiece also reaches an unprecedented height in art, featuring romantic and fantastic stage set and stunning audio-visual feast.
The NCPA production of Les Contes d'Hoffmann is another French opera masterpiece produced by world-acclaimed opera director Francesca Zambello and set designer Peter J. Davison, marking their return after the NCPA production of Carmen. Stunning and fantastic stage design brings the audience to several romantic countries; unusual clothes highlighting the collision of classical and modern art tell the romantic and tortured love stories.
About the story
Poet Hoffmann sits in the Luther Pub beside the Nuremberg Opera House where Don Giovanni starring his adored female star Stella is being staged. The drunken poet tells three love experiences to his students. The first love involves mechanical baby Olympia, the second one Antonia, a sick girl keen on singing, and the third Venetian party girl Giulietta.
Due to the obstruction of bad Lindorf and his avatar, the three loves end up with tragedy. Poet's friend Nicklausse is the avatar of Muse, who persuades Hoffmann to concentrate on writing and not to be addicted to love. Hoffmann finishes the three stories. When the opera performance has been over, the drunken Hoffmann is in a coma.
His rival Lindorf takes the opportunity and steals Stella's heart. In the end, Hoffmann once again loses his beloved woman, and has no choice but to express the thoughts and feelings in his poems.
Presenter: China NCPA Orchestra and China NCPA Chorus
Creative
Stage Director: Francesca Zambello
Set Designer: Peter J.Davison
Co-Set Designer: Charles Quiggin
Costume Designer: Court Waston
Choreographer: Denni Sayers
Lighting Designer: Mark McCullough
Associate Director: Duncan Macfarland