Admin

Opernhaus Zürich

Conductor

Conductor (+2)

Antonino Fogliani

Stage director

Stage director (+2)

Andreas Homoki

Set designer

Set designer (+2)

Wolfgang Gussmann

Costume designer

Costume designer (+2)

Susana Mendoza

Assistant Set Designer

Thomas Bruner

Lighting designer

Lighting designer (+3)

Franck Evin

Chorusmaster

Conductor (+14)

Janko Kastelic

Dramaturge

Beate Breidenbach

Tenor (+1)

Saimir Pirgu

Hoffmann

Mezzo-soprano (+4)

Marina Viotti

Nicklausse

La Muse

Soprano (+4)

Katrina Galka

Olympia

Soprano (+1)

Adriana González

Antonia

Lauren Fagan

Juliet

Maria Stella Maurizi

Stella

Bass-baritone (+3)

Andrew Foster-Williams

Lindorf

Coppelius

Miracle

Dapertutto

Tenor (+3)

Nathan Haller

Andrès

Cochineal

Frantz

Pitichinaccio

Bass (+3)

Valeriy Murga

Luther

Tenor

Christopher Willoughby

Nathaniel

Maximilian Lawrie

Wolfram

Daniel Norman

Spalanzani

Bass (+4)

Stanislav Vorobyov

Crespel

Mezzo-soprano (+2)

Judith Schmid

Voice of Antonia's mother/The voice from the grave

Orchestra

The Orchester der Oper Zürich

Opernhaus

Chorus

Zurich Opera Chorus

Extras

Opernhaus Zürich Extras

Baritone (+2)

Steffan Lloyd Owen

Herman

Bass (+2)

Lobel Barun

William

Bass-baritone (+4)

Samson Setu

Schlemil

Le Capitaine des Sbires

Bass (+1)

Max Bell

In his final opera, Jacques Offenbach made E.T.A. Hoffmann, the most famous poet of the Romantic period, into his main character. The poet explores the threshold between reality and fantasy in a fascinating way in his magical-surreal tales. The opera masterfully combines operetta, sentimental opéra comique and romantic-fantastic opera. Original melodic inventions merge with gripping drama and, of course, Offenbach’s subtle irony interrupts his main character’s rapturous states.
Hoffmann, the poet, is torn between art and life, love and fantasy, dream and reality. His love for Stella, the singer, remains unrequited, and he takes refuge in alcohol and the world of his imagination. Over the course of a wine-soaked evening, he tells his friends of three fantastical love affairs. Olympia, the immaculate beauty he fell head over heels in love with – only to discover that the woman he so desperately wanted was a doll. Antonia, who was consumed by feverish song and died in Hoffmann’s arms. And Giulietta, the Venetian courtesan, who swore him undying love and seduced him, all with the singular goal of stealing his reflection. Each time, Hoffmann failed – himself, in love, and against his diabolical adversary.
The premiere of this staging by Andreas Homoki took place online in the spring of 2021, due to coronavirus pandemic; this season the production finally bows on stage before an audience. Saimir Pirgu made a convincing debut in the title role, and he returns as Hoffmann in this revival. As at the premiere, Italian conductor Antonino Fogliani is at the podium of the Philharmonia Zürich.

franču