Event information
French composer Jacques Offenbach’s most well-known opera, Les Contes d’Hoffmann, or The Tales of Hoffmann, comes to stage in a new production by Opera UCT.
The production is directed by Steven Stead and features a cast of young singers from Opera UCT, conducted by Jeremy Silver. Last performed in Cape Town in 2012, the opera contains the popular Barcarolle duet, “Belle nuit, ô nuit d’amour”, as well as the coloratura soprano aria “Les oiseaux dans la charmille”.
The Tales of Hoffmann, is about a poet, Hoffmann, who relates the story of three women he loved: a mechanical doll, a young singer, and a courtesan.
This opera provides an opportunity to showcase the talents of a wide variety of singers, musicians and theatrical artists, while offering a captivating and emotionally charged opera experience for audiences.
Each act has a different female lead character, which demands a range of singing styles, including coloratura, lyric, and dramatic soprano roles. Furthermore, the title character, Hoffmann, also requires a versatile tenor with both lyrical and dramatic abilities.
The opera is sung in French with surtitles in English and isiXhosa. There are alternating casts for this production, with the title role of Hoffmann shared by tenors Luvo Maranti and Makudu Senaoana.
Silver conducts the Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra, with Marvin Kernelle as assistant conductor and chorus master.
