Blog Club Opéra

In an artistic coup for our national opera company, Richard Hickox conducts a new production of The Tales of Hoffmann directed by Stuart Maunder and featuring one of Australia’s most exciting artists, Emma Matthews, playing four different roles to create Hoffmann’s ultimate woman.

The starry-eyed Hoffmann is entranced by Olympia, seduced by Giulietta and obsessed by fragile Antonia, and when he meets Stella he thinks she might be the one. But is love playing cruel tricks? Offenbach’s captivating music underscores this fantastic garland of stories.

Rosario La Spina makes his debut in the challenging role of Hoffmann, with John Wegner as the four villains. John Pringle is the eccentric inventor Spalanzani, and Pamela Helen Stephen plays Hoffmann’s muse and companion, singing Offenbach’s much-loved “Barcarolle”.