The love duet

I had to post this duet I just love it so much!!
Just listen to the beautifully intricate musical line.
I promise this will get stuck in your head after you listen only once.

Elle a fui, la tourterelle!

In class I spoke about the aria "Elle a fui".  This is sung by Antonia in the third act of the opera and it has by far the best music in the entire work.  I did an analysis of the aria and found that there were two main sections an A section and a B section that repeats. This means that it takes the form of Binary.

Lets take a listen and see where the sections line up! And of course we have to listen to the magnificent Kiri te Kanawa.

This aria actually starts the beginning of act 3 with a huge full orchestration and amazing harp solo that goes right into the aria at 0:55. She starts to sing the main theme until she stops herself and begins the recitative.

Here is the translation....

Elle a fui, la tourtelle!              She has fled, the turtledove!
Ah! souvenir trop doux!                Ah, memory too sweet, 
Image trop cruelle!                    Image too cruel!
Hélas! à mes genoux,                   Alas, at my knees,
Je l'entends, je le vois!              I hear him, I see him!
Je l'entends, je le vois!              I hear him, I see him!

Elle a fui, la tourterelle,            She has flown, the turledove,
Elle a fui loin de toi;                She has flown far from you;
Mais elle est toujours fidèle          But she is always faithful 
Et te garde sa foi.                    And keeps her vow
Mon bienaimé, ma voix t'appelle,       My beloved, my voice calls you
Oui, tout mon coeur est à toi.         Yes, all my heart is yours

Chère fleur qui viens d'éclore         Dear flower, just opened, 
Par pitié réponds moi!                 Have pity, answer me.
Toi qui sais s'il m'aime encore,       You who knows if he still lives me,
S'il me garde sa foi!                  If he keeps his vow.
Mon bienaimé, ma voix t'implore,       My beloved, my voice begs you,
Ah! que ton coeur vienne à moi.        Ah, let your heart come to me.
Elle a fui, la tourterelle,            She has flown, the turtledove,
Elle a fui loin de toi.                She has flown far from you.

She doesn't begin the actual A section until 2:00 and the B section at 2:30. The beginning sequence where she hints at the melody I think is her daydreaming and the descending line shows how she is coming out of the dreamy sequence.   

Enough talk! Let's listen!

This production was in Paris in October of 2002. It's absolutely amazing!

Where do these stories come from and who is Hoffmann???

The opera is based on three short stories by E. T. A. Hoffmann. 

They are:

Der Sandmann (The Sandman)
Rath Krespel (Councillor Krespel)
Das verlorene Spiegelbild (The Lost Reflection)

There is also an aria the Hoffmann sings at the end of the Prologue "Chanson de Kleinzach" and its based on the story Klein Zaches, genannt Zinnober (Little Zaches, called cinnabar).

Hoffmann was a German Romantic author of fantasy and horror. He was also a composer and a music critic. His short stories were very influential in the Romantic movement. You may have heard of The Nutcracker or Coppelia. The two ballets were based on his storied as well.


I was able to find two links to the english translation of Der Sandmann and Rath Krespel!!


Here is The Sandman.....
http://germanstories.vcu.edu/hoffmann/sand_e.html

Here is Councillor Krespel.....
http://germanstories.vcu.edu/hoffmann/krespel_e.html


Enjoy!

The Synopsis

PROLOGUE. 

In Luther's deserted tavern, a chorus of spirits of wine and beer is heard, while inside the adjoining opera house Don Giovanni is being performed. Guests are expected to arrive later in the evening, among them the poet Hoffmann and the Milanese opera singer Stella, but it is Hoffmann's Muse who first appears. Knowing that fate decrees Hoffmann must choose this evening between his love for the Muse and his love for her rival, Stella, the Muse calls upon the spirits for help. Then she disappears to assume the disguise of Nicklausse, Hoffmann's friend. Councilor Lindorf bribes Andrès, a servant of Stella, to intercept a note she has written to Hoffmann; it contains the key to her dressing room. Lindorf, confident of his power to achieve any goal, plans to keep that appointment himself. A crowd of noisy students fills the tavern. Hoffmann appears, accompanied by Nicklausse, and Lindorf sees them at a distance. When the students tease him about his current infatuation with Stella, he offers to tell the story of three past loves.

ACT I. (Olympia) 

Awaiting the arrival of his party guests, the inventor Spalanzani admires his most recent invention, the mechanical doll Olympia. Hoffmann, the first guest to arrive, discovers Olympia and falls in love with her. Nicklausse gently teases him. The mad scientist Coppélius arrives and sells Hoffmann a pair of magic glasses through which he alone perceives Olympia as human. Spalanzani and Coppélius haggle over their share of the doll's profits, the latter claiming he owns her eyes. When Coppélius agrees to sell his rights to Spalanzani the inventor gives him a check drawn against the house of Élias. Coppélius jokingly suggests that Olympia be married off to Hoffmann. After other guests arrive, Olympia captivates the crowd with a dazzling aria, accompanied by Spalanzani at the harp. Oblivious to the periodic running down of the doll's mechanism, Hoffmann is enchanted. When everyone goes to dinner, leaving the two alone, Hoffmann pours out his heart to Olympia. Believing she loves him as well, he kisses her; she whirls into motion and out of the room. Nicklausse suggests that Olympia might not be alive, but the poet refuses to listen. Coppélius returns in a fury, having discovered that Spalanzani's bank draft is worthless, and hides as the guests return from dinner for a waltz. They are joined by Hoffmann and Olympia, who whirl faster and faster, until Hoffmann falls and breaks his magic glasses. Seizing his chance for revenge, Coppélius grabs Olympia and tears her apart.

ACT II. (Antonia) 

Crespel has fled with his daughter, Antonia, to Munich to end her love affair with Hoffmann. Sitting at the harpsichord, she sings a plaintive love song. Crespel begs her to give up singing: she has a weak heart, and the effort will endanger her life. He instructs his hard-of-hearing servant, Frantz, to allow no one into the house while he is gone. Left alone, Frantz tries to sing and dance. Hoffmann arrives, and Nicklausse, citing his past experience with love, tries to persuade him to devote himself solely to art. But Hoffmann resists, swearing eternal love to Antonia. Though she says her father has forbidden her to sing, she cannot resist asking if Hoffmann wishes to hear her. They join in a love song until Antonia nearly faints. Crespel returns and is alarmed by the arrival of the charlatan Dr. Miracle, whom he recognizes as an omen of doom: it was Miracle who treated Crespel's wife the day she died. While Hoffmann watches from a hiding place, the evil doctor inquires after Antonia and her overpowering love of music. Miracle questions the absent girl and describes her irregular pulse; when he commands her to sing, her voice is heard. The doctor offers medicines to save the girl, but Crespel, knowing this means death for his daughter, forces Miracle out. When Antonia returns, Hoffmann begs her not to sing. She reluctantly agrees, and he leaves, promising to return the next day. Miracle suddenly reappears, taunting Antonia with prospects of fame as a singer. The girl cries out to the portrait of her Mother, a famous singer, to help her resist temptation. Conjuring the portrait to life, Miracle declares that the Mother, speaking through him, wants Antonia to equal the glory of her own fame. As Miracle fiddles wildly on his violin, Antonia sings more and more feverishly until she collapses. Hoffmann rushes in, only to find her dead.

ACT III. (Giulietta)

In a Venetian palace on the Grand Canal, the courtesan Giulietta joins Nicklausse in a languid barcarole. Hoffmann abruptly changes the mood as he mockingly praises the pleasures of the flesh. Giulietta's current lover, Schlemil, jealously acknowledges her apparent affection for Hoffmann. Giulietta invites her guests to the gaming tables, but Nicklausse remains behind to warn Hoffmann against forming any attachment to the courtesan. The poet denies interest in her, declaring that should he fall in love with her, the devil may have his soul. Dappertutto, overhearing them, produces a large diamond with which he will bribe Giulietta to steal Hoffmann's reflection, just as she already has stolen Schlemil's shadow. Lured by the diamond, Giulietta agrees. She seduces Hoffmann, who is about to depart, and he falls in love instantly; during a passionate duet, she carries out Dappertutto's command. Schlemil returns, accusing Giulietta of having left him for Hoffmann. When Dappertutto comments on the poet's pallor, Hoffmann asks for a mirror and realizes with horror that he has lost his reflection, but he is trapped by his infatuation. As the guests depart, Hoffmann demands that Schlemil give him the key to Giulietta's room; when Schlemil refuses, Hoffmann kills him in a duel, with a sword proffered by Dappertutto. Taking the key from his rival, Hoffmann rushes to Giulietta's room, only to find it empty. Returning, he finds her leaving the palace with yet another admirer, the dwarf Pitichinaccio, whom she embraces....

EPILOGUE. 

Hoffmann has finished his tales and wants only to get drunk and forget. Nicklausse reveals that each story described a different aspect of one woman, Stella. Arriving in the tavern after her performance, the opera singer finds the poet confused and sneering; Stella prepares to leave with the triumphant Lindorf. Hoffmann interrupts their departure to sing one last verse of "Kleinzach," then collapses. Only the Muse remains behind with Hoffmann, who belongs to her at last.

The Characters

Hoffman, a poet - tenor

Niclausse, The muse - mezzo soprano

Olympia, a mechanical doll - soprano

Antonia, a young girl - soprano

Giulietta, a courtesan - soprano

Stella, a singer - soprano

Lindorf, Coppelius, Miracle - bass/baritone

Dapertutto - bass/baritone

Andres, Cochenille, Frantz - tenor

Pitichinaccio - tenor

Crespel, Antonia's father - bass

Hermann, a student - bass

Peter Schlemil - bass

Spalanzani, an inventor - tenor

Voice of Antonia's mother - soprano



As you can see it is a soprano heavy opera.  In the first production one soprano, Adele Isaac, played Olympia, Antonia, and Giulietta. This is how Offenbach originally wanted it to be but the range and difficulty of all three parts is never done by the same soprano anymore.

The Tales of Hoffmann or Les contes d'Hoffmann if you want to get technical.

Offenbach began composing Les contes d'Hoffmann in 1879 but never completed it.  It's first performance was on February 10th 1881, over 4 months after his death on October 5 1880.  This opera is considered an opera fantastique and is based on three short stories by E. T. A. Hoffmann (I will write a separate post on him) and Offenbach's libretto was written by Jules Barbier. 


This opera is unique to the rest of Jacques because he actually never finished composing the orchestration. He did complete the piano score for the entire work and the orchestrations to the prologue and first act. Because of this there are many different editions, some show little resemblance to the authentic work where as others are quite realistic.  The version the premiered was an edition by Ernest Guiraud who completed the rest of the scoring while adding some recitatives.

Some changes that have been made to the opera over the years are the following:


-Changes in the sequence of acts.
-Extra music added from different operas.
-The names of the acts.
-Changes in the story.
-Recitative turned into spoken dialogue.
-The number of singers who perform the opera.


Over one hundred years later we are still trying to find the closest edition that Offenbach would have completed.  In 1992 new authentic music was found and published by Michael Kaye. And finally in 2011 two large publishing houses one German and one French released a grand "Edition Offenbach" and is said to be the closest this we will ever get to the original.