THE TALES OF HOFFMANN Offenbach – Opernhaus Zürich

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…

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 Offenbach’s subtle irony interrupts his main character’s rapturous states. Offenbach left his last opera unfinished. Since the posthumous premiere in 1881, different versions have been issued by various publishers. The Opernhaus Zürich has chosen the version published by the two editors Michael Kaye and Jean-Christophe Keck. First staged by Andreas Homoki in 2021 during the coronavirus pandemic, Zurich’s production now finally sees an audience in the Opernhaus and live online via OperaVision. After his successful 2021 debut in the title role, Saimir Pirgu returns as Hoffmann with Antonino Fogliani conducting the Philharmonia Zürich.

Full performance streamed LIVE on OperaVision on 12 July 2025 at 18:30 CET and available until 12 January 2025 at 12:00 CET: https://operavision.eu/performance/les-contes-dhoffmann-0

CAST

Hoffmann
Saimir Pirgu

La Muse / Nicklausse
Marina Viotti

Olympia
Katrina Galka

Antonia
Adriana Gonzalez

Giulietta
Lauren Fagan

Stella
Maria Stella Maurizi

Lindorf / Coppélius / Le docteur Miracle / Le capitaine Dapertutto
Andrew Foster-Williams

Andrès / Cochenille / Frantz / Pitichinaccio
Nathan Haller

Maître Luther
Valeriy Murga

Hermann
Steffan Lloyd Owen

Nathanaël
Christopher Willoughby

Wolfram
Maximilian Lawrie

Wilhelm / Le Capitaine des Sbires
Lobel Barun

Spalanzani
Daniel Norman

Crespel
Stanislav Vorobyov

La Voix de la tombe
Judith Schmid

Peter Schlémil
Samson Setu

Orchestra
Philharmonia Zürich

Chorus
Oper Zürich Chorus

Music
Jacques Offenbach

Text
Jules Paul Barbier

Director
Andreas Homoki

Conductor
Antonino Fogliani

Stage Design
Wolfgang Gussmann

Costumes
Wolfgang Gussmann
Susana Mendoza

Co-set designer
Thomas Bruner

Lighting Design
Franck Evin

Chorus Master
Janko Kastelic

Dramaturgy
Beate Breidenbach

Watch live streams as the performances themselves unfold in the opera house. Enjoy a variety of shows - including opera, operetta, musical theatre, dance, ballet and concerts. Opera connaisseur or curious newcomer, there is something for everyone on OperaVision.

Managed by Opera Europa, OperaVision is a freeview streaming platform supported by the European Union’s Creative Europe funding programme. Between 2025 and 2028, Creative Europe’s support will help Opera Europa to promote and train emerging artists working in opera and dance. Known as Opera Europa Next Generation, this initiative will give visibility and development opportunities to over 560 emerging artists – in person and online, including via OperaVision – and all thanks to the efforts of a consortium of 44 opera houses and talent development organisations from 17 European countries.

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