Offenbach: Les contes d'Hoffmann
(Paris, 2003)

Cast: Neil Shicoff (Hoffmann), Bryn Terfel (Lindorf, Coppelius, Dr Miracle, Dapertutto), Susanne Mentzer (Nicklausse, Muse), Désirée Rancatore (Olympia), Ruth Ann Swenson (Antonia), Béatrice Uria-Monzon (Giulietta), Michel Sénéchal (Andrès, Cochenille, Frantz, Pitichinaccio), Orchestre et Choeurs de l'Opéra National de Paris, Jesus Lopez-Cobos (conductor), Robert Carson (stage director), Michael Levine (designer), François Roussilon (video director)

Recorded at Opéra National de Paris in 2003

Published by TDK in 2004 in two versions: PAL [DV-OPLCDH/region 0/menus in English, subtitles in English, German, French, Spanish] and NTSC [DVUS-OPLCDH/region 0/ menus in English, subtitles in English, German, French, Spanish]]

Technical details
Aspect ratio 16:9
Sound DD 5.1, DTS 5.1, PCM Stereo (reviewed in PCM)

Running time: 173 minutes
Sung in French
This production lends several special perspectives to a unique work. While the acts are well integrated, each has its own viewpoint. The effect is to raise more questions than it answers; the recording should not be your introduction to the work and will be more appreciated the better you know traditional readings.

Conducting is beautifully balanced, avoiding the parallel traps of pomposity and frivolity into which the score can fall. Chorus and orchestra are fine throughout and the smaller roles are filled capably. (As usual, Sénéchal threatens to steal his scenes. As usual, he does so only when appropriate, in this case as Frantz.) When Schicoff undertook the role at the Met fifteen years earlier, his voice was bright, dry and full; today it is much drier and somewhat larger. Physically, he is more effective in the three acts than in the prologue and epilogue, since a middle-aged student is harder to accept than a mature lover. Terfel is outstanding as the villains barring only the 'Scintille diamant' which is out of place for his character and ill-placed for his voice. Its importation into the opera hurts more in this production than in those stressing voice over musicality.

Hoffmann's three loves are more or less effective depending on your taste. Rancatore is more robot than doll, harder and without character though singing well. Swenson's Antonia is at the other extreme, all beautiful tone with scarcely a consonant to mar the flow. Uria-Monzon provides a contradiction: chill temperament but warm and rather thick voice. Density of tone and lack of necessary point also characterize much of Mentzer's contribution; that is painful only in the Antonia act (the middle one in this version).

Considered as an audio recording, we have here a contender with solid singing and superb conducting. Visually, it is provocative without violating the score. In toto, it is an experience any admirer of this French opera will find worthwhile.
 
Related website:
TDK Mediactive www.tdk-music.com
 
Michael Richter, 30 July 2004
mrichter@cpl.net
 
See also Michael Richter's Introduction to the DVD, for a list of other reviews see the DVD Project page.