Les contes d'Hoffmann

Prologue

Les contes d'Hoffmann (The Tales of Hoffmann) is a French opera. It has a prologue, three acts and an epilogue. The music was written by Jacques Offenbach. The libretto was written by Jules Berbier and Michel Carré. It is based on E.T.A Hoffmann's Dr Sandmann, Geschichte von Verloreren Spiegelbilde. The opera was first performed in Paris, on 10 February 1881.

The opera was the last and perhaps greatest work of Offenbach. It was not quite finished when he died. The final score was completed by Ernest Guiraud. Guiraud also wrote the recitatives, though at first it was meant to have spoken-dialogue. The work was an immediate success and has remained so since its creation.

Principal characters

Hoffmann - tenor
Olympia - soprano
Antonia - soprano
Giuletta - soprano
Stella - soprano
Dr Miracle - bass
Dapertutto - bass
Coppélius - bass
Lindorf - bass
Nicklaus - mezzo-soprano
Spalanzani - tenor

Ideally, the four soprano roles should be sung by the same singer as well as the four bass roles as they represent different aspects of two characters.

Les Contes D'Hoffmann Media

The death of Antonia (act 2) in the original 1881 production. In front: Adèle Isaac; in back (left to right): Hippolyte Belhomme, Marguerite Ugalde, Pierre Grivot, Émile-Alexandre Taskin, Jean-Alexandre Talazac.
Costume design for Hoffmann in act 1, 1903
Prologue (or epilogue), in the 1881 première
The Olympia act, as staged at the 1881 première
Illustration from the 1881 première of Jacques Offenbach's Les contes d'Hoffmann, showing the Giulietta act. I'm not sure exactly when the Giulietta act premièred; it wasn't ready for the first production, but it was being performed by the end of 1881, apparently.
The original E. T. A. Hoffmann (1776–1822)

Sources

The Complete Dictionary of Opera & Operetta, James Anderson, Wings Books, 1993.