The Glenn Korff School of Music’s opera program presents Jacques Offenbach’s “The Tales of Hoffmann” Feb. 19 and 21.
Performances are at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 19 and 3 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 21 in Kimball Recital Hall. Tickets are $20 adults and $10 students/seniors and will be available at the door one hour prior to each performance. For advance ticket sales, contact the Lied Center Box Office at (402) 472-4747.
“The Tales of Hoffmann” is about a poet named Hoffmann, who tells the story of his three loves. The opera is in three acts, and each act features a different love: Olympia, Antonia and Giulietta. A prologue and epilogue tie each story together. In each of the three acts for this production, a different tenor plays Hoffmann.
“The opera is about three tales of Hoffmann’s life,” said Patricia Kramer, a first-year DMA student. “In this story, he had three great loves that influenced his life, and this opera revolves around them.”
Director and Hixson-Lied Professor William Shomos said over the years, many people have suggested to him that he consider doing an evening of one-act operas, just to try something different.
“I thought of ‘Tales of Hoffmann,’” Shomos said. “Here’s an opera that’s essentially three one-acts, so maybe I could divvy out more parts. The role of Hoffmann is demanding. The villain is very demanding. And the love interest is very demanding. And ‘Don Giovanni’ in the Fall put huge demands on some of our best voices, so I thought, ‘Why not?’ Why not have an evening of one-acts, and they happen to be Offenbach’s one-acts.”
Bethany Eckloff, a second-year Master of Music student from Kearney, Nebraska, said the structure of the opera makes it interesting.
“This production is unique in that it is being staged as three one-acts—this works in my mind, artistically, because it alludes to the fact that with each new love, you are also a different person,” Eckloff said. “Educationally, it is wonderful because we get to hear and experience three of our most talented tenors in this program take on the difficult role of Hoffmann.”
Eckloff plays Olympia, who is a mechanical doll.
“Olympia is one of the most difficult roles I've played, but also one of the most exciting,” Eckloff said. “She is a mechanical doll similar to what one would see in a music box. She doesn't sing a lot, but when she does, it is extremely difficult technically, with stratospherically high notes and quick, disjunct melodic lines. She is the perfect combination of impressive and comical.”
Matthew Clegg, a 2nd year DMA student from Midway, Utah, plays Hoffmann in the prologue, epilogue and third act.
“Hoffmann could be described as a mildly heroic man whose love of wine is only surpassed by his love of women,” he said. “Because Hoffmann is also a poet, there is also a battle being fought between his love of women and his higher more creative nature. At certain moments in the opera, Hoffmann tries to swear off women without success.”
Jon Suek (MM) plays Hoffmann in act one, while Alfonzo Cooper (DMA) plays him in act two.
“All of us have a different singing style and acting style so it is fun for each of us to be playing the same character,” Clegg said. “I also, as always, feel greatly privileged to work with Dr. Bill Shomos. It is always my great pleasure to do so and I hope that I will have the opportunity again.”
The opera features a set design by Johnny Carson School of Theatre and Film Assistant Professor J.D. Madsen with lighting designed by Assistant Professor Laurel Shoemaker.
“It’s a marvelous concept by J.D. Madsen,” Shomos said. “The Muse talks about how inspiration is said to come out of a fountain. This Muse is coming from a barrel of booze. This set looks like one, big barrel to me, and the whole story plays within this barrel. And for me, this represents Hoffmann’s intoxicated series of nightmares.”
Shomos said the opera and the music are fun.
“It’s just a lot of fun,” he said. “The music is not Mozart. It’s not super sophisticated, but Offenbach really knew how to put out a tune. People will come out humming the tunes to this one. It’s one great melody after another.”
Clegg said the audience should expect some “exquisite music” sung in French for the production.
“They should also expect the plot line of each act to not take off where the previous act left off,” he said. “Each act is a miniature fairy tale of sorts with characters that are representations of the real world back in the Tavern from the prologue. One character, in particular, to pay close attention to is Nicklausse, who appears consistently in each act. Nicklausse is a male character played by a female singer and plays an important role in deciding Hoffman's fate.”
Kramer plays the Muse, who eventually disguises herself as Hoffmann’s closest friend, Nicklausse.
“I am essentially the Muse of Poetry and, as we all know, Hoffmann was exceptionally talented in that area,” she said. “I want Hoffmann to devote his life to me, poetry, but he needs experiences—real experiences to unlock it within himself.”
Eckloff said “The Tales of Hoffmann” will showcase the quality of the Glenn Korff School of Music’s opera program.
“Audiences can expect a musically stimulating and visually stunning production. Whether this is a new story for them or they've previously seen the opera, this fresh take will leave them excited about what the Glenn Korff School of Music is achieving,” she said. “It's only two performances, so make sure to see it while there's still time!”
Kramer said opera is for everyone.
“A common myth about opera is that it ‘isn’t for everyone,’ but I disagree,” she said. “If you liked listening to bedtime stories as a child or watching a good TV show or reading an amazing book or even just listening to a friend tell you about their day, these are all stories. Opera is just another good story with some awesome music and singing. Who doesn’t love those things? I think it’s a universal art that everyone can enjoy, and I hope to see everyone there!”