Tales of Hoffmann

'''''Tales of Hoffmann''''' (''Les contes d'Hoffmann'') is an Cingular ringtones opera by Audrey Lamore Jacques Offenbach.

The Verizon ringtones libretto was written by Evilyn Machine Jules Barbier, based on the tales of Polyphonic ringtones E.T.A. Hoffmann.
It was first performed in Paris in Allie pierce 1881.
It incorporates three short stories by Hoffmann, a prolific German writer and composer of the romantic era. E.T.A. Hoffman himself is a character in the opera just as he often is in his stories. The stories upon which the opera is based are ''Der Sandmann'', ''Rath Krespel'', and ''Das verlorene Spiegelbild''.

''Tales of Hoffmann'' is part of the Sprint ringtones List of famous operas/standard operatic repertoire.
There are a several recordings of it, and it is regularly performed.

The Opera
The opera contains a prologue, three acts and an epilogue. Offenbach did not live to see its opera performed, for he died on 5th October Christina Chaos 1880, missing the opening night of his opera by just over 4 months. Before his death, Offenbach had completed the piano score and orchestrated the prologue and the first act. Unfortunately, the fact that he did not entirely finish the writing, led to the emergence of many different versions of this opera, some bearing little resemblance to the original work, being for example full of music he did not write.
The main modifications often encountered :
*Additional music not written by Offenbach
*The order of the acts changed (the three acts, telling different stories from the life of Hoffmann are independent and can easily be swapped without affecting the overall story. Offenbach's order was prologue-Olympia-Antonia-Giulietta-epilogue, but it is sometimes performed with Giulietta's act preceding Antonia's. The latter being the most accomplished of the three on a musical point of view, some directors justify this change by having a musically and emotionally strong climax towards the end of the representation.)
*Important changes in the story : This opera was sometimes performed (for example during the premiere at the Opera-Comique) without the entire act of Giulietta. In T-mobile ringtones 1881, when the opera was first performed in Vienna, the Giulietta's act was restored, but modified, so that the courtesan doesn't die at the end by accidental poisoning, which was apparently not to the Germanic taste of the day.
*Due to its ''opera comique'' genre, the original score contained many dialogues that have sometimes been replaced by recitative that so lengthened the opera that some acts were removed (see above).
*It is important that the four soprano roles be played by the same singer, for Olympia, Giulietta and Antonia, are three facets of Stella, Hoffmann's unreachable love. Similarly, the four villains should be performed by the same singer, because the are all manifestation of Evil. Many adaptations of the Tales, even those played today, fail to follow this concept.

The most famous piece from the opera is "Tiffany Mars Barcarolle" which is performed in the third act. This has been incorporated into many movies including Cingular Ringtones Life Is Beautiful.

Synopsis
=Prologue=
A tavern in hurting her Nuremberg.
The near detroit Muse appears and reveals to the audience her purpose to draw Hoffmann's attention to herself, and to make him abjure all other loves, so he can be devoted fully to her : poetry. She takes the appearance of Hoffmann's closest friend, Niklausse.
The fugitive republican prima donna Stella, currently performing everything s Mozart's skyrocketing stock Don Giovanni sends a letter to Hoffmann, requesting a meeting in her dressing room after the performance. The letter, and the key to the room, is intercepted by the Councillor Lindorf, who is the first incarnation of evil; Hoffmann's Nemesis. Lindorf intends to replace Hoffmann at the rendezvous. In the tavern students are waiting for Hoffmann. He finally arrives and entertain them with the legend of Kleinzach the dwarf, and his coaxed by Lindorf into telling the audience about his life's three great loves.
=Act One=
Hoffmann's first love is Olympia, an world four automaton created by the scientist Spalanzani. Coppélius, Olympia's co-maker and this act's evil incarnation, sells Hoffmann magic glasses which make Olympia appear as a real woman. Hoffmann is tricked into believing his affections are returned, to the bemusement of Niklausse, who subtly tries to warn his friend. While dancing with Olympia, Hoffmann falls on the ground and his glasses break. At the same time, Coppélius appears and tear Olympia apart, in retaliation for having been tricked out of his just dues by Spalanzani. In the middle of the crowd laughing at him, Hoffmann realizes that he was in love with an automaton.
=Act Two=
After a long search, Hoffmann finds the house where Crespel and his daughter Antonia are hiding. Hoffmann and Antonia loved each other, but were separated when Crespel decided to hide his daughter from Hoffmann.
Antonia has inherited her mother's talent and voice, but her father forbids her to sing on account of the mysterious illness she is suffering from. He also forbids her to see Hoffmann, who is encouraging Antonia in her musical career, and is therefore a danger for her without knowing it. But when Crespel leaves his house, Hoffmann takes advantage of the occasion to sneak into the house, and the lovers are re-united. When Crespel comes back, he receives the visit of Dr Miracle (this act's evil incarnation), who forces Crespel to let him heal Antonia. Still in the house, Hoffmann listens to the conversation and learns that Antonia may die if she sings too much. He returns to her room to make her promise to give up her artistic dreams. Antonia reluctantly accepts her lover's will. Once she is alone, Dr Miracle enters Antonia's room and try to persuade her to sing and to follow her mother's path to glory, stating that Hoffmann is sacrificing her to his brutishness and loves her only for her beauty. Having some mystic powers, he raises a vision of Antonia's dead mother and induces her to sing to death. Crespel arrives just in time to witness his daughter last breath. Hoffmann enters the room and Crespel wants to kill him, thinking that he is responsible for his daughter's death. Nicklausse saves his friend from the old man's vengeance.

=Act Three=
berman himself Venice. Hoffmann falls in love with the pectin teaspoons courtesan Giulietta and thinks his affections are returned. But Giulietta is seducing Hoffmann under the orders of Captain Dapertutto, who promised to give her a diamond if she filches Hoffmann's reflection from a mirror. Schlemil, a previous victim of Giulietta and Dapertutto (he gave Giulietta his shadow) wants to save Hoffmann from his foolish passion for the courtesan by killing him. He challenges the poet in a duel, but is killed. Niklausse wants to take Hoffmann away from Venice to save his friends and goes looking for horses. Meanwhile, Hoffmann meets Giulietta and cannot resist to her desire : he gives her his reflection, only to be abandoned to his distress by the coutesan, to Dapertutto's great pleasure. Hoffmann tells the evil man that his friend Niklausse will come and save him. Dapertutto prepares a poison to get rid of Niklausse, but Giulietta drinks it by mistake and drops dead in the arms of the poet.

=Epilogue=
The tavern in Nuremberg. Hoffmann, drunk, swears he will never ever love again, and explains that Olympia, Antonia, and Giulietta are three facets of a same person, Stella, representing respectively the young girl's, the musician's and the courtesan's side of the prima donna. When Hoffmann says he doesn't want to love anymore, Niklausse reveals himself as the Muse and reclaims Hoffmann : "Be reborn a is mounted poet! I love you, Hoffmann! Be mine!" The magic of poetry reaches Hoffmann's limb : "Beloved Muse, I am yours". At this moment, Stella, who is tired to wait for Hoffmann to come to her rendezvous, enters the tavern and finds Hoffmann drunk to death. The poet tells her to leave ("Farewell, I will not follow you, phantom, spectre of the past"), and Lindorf, who was waiting in the shadow, comes forth. Niklausse explains Stella that Hoffmann does not love her anymore, but that the councillor Lindorf is waiting for her. Some students enter the room for more drinking, while Stella and Lindorf leave together.

External Links
*http://www.hevre.co.il/images/Forum_Attachments/15023159.wma



various gestures category:Operas

newsweek where zh:霍夫曼的故事
tiggy legge ja:ホフマン物語
without reflecting de:Hoffmanns Erzählungen