The Tales of Hoffmann is one of the most frequently staged operas in the world's opera houses. Its author, composer Jacques Offenbach, proved with this work that he is not only the author of playful operettas and works of a light genre. With the manuscript in hand, Mr. Offenbach died of a heart attack just four months before premiere, and the fantastic opera remained unfinished, though the score is his magnificent swan song, passages of which such as the barcarolle, the Song of Kleinzack or Olympia’s aria are often performed by soloists in concert.
The opera is based on three short stories by E. T. A. Hoffmann, and tells the story of the poet Hoffmann who falls in love with the singer Stella. In the tavern, Hoffman tells three stories about the three women he loves – Olympia, Antonia and Giulietta. Unfortunately, they all end sadly. Will the same fate befall his passion for Stella?
This staging of The Tales of Hoffmann is unique in that, for the first time, an international competition was held for the director's concept and creative team, which was won by the Florentine director Federico Grazzini. Having made his debut in 2004 at the Puccini Theatre in Florence, he directs and creates lighting designs in many theatres in Italy and the world, his productions are also shown in Ireland, Belgium, France, Germany, South Korea, Japan, etc. Since 2019 he has been working as a director and acting teacher at the prestigious Georg Solti Accademia.
Premiere: 26 January 2024
First production: 10 February 1881 at Opéra-Comique in Paris
First production in Lithuania: 12 November 1925 at the State Opera in Kaunas
