Tales of Hoffman Streams Next Sunday

Sunday, February, 1 pm., Orcas Center

— from Artha Kass —

The revival of Broadway’s multiple Tony winner Barlett Sher’s exciting and innovative production of Offenbach’s operatic masterpiece, Les Contes d’Hoffmann, (Tales of Hoffman) streams live from the Metropolitan Opera to Orcas Center Sunday, February at 1:00 pm.

The magnetic tenor Vittorio Grigolo takes on the tortured poet and unwitting adventurer of the title of Offenbach’s sparkling operatic jewel, in the Met’s wild, kaleidoscopic production. Soprano Hibla Gerzmava faces the operatic hurdle of singing all three heroines–each an idealized embodiment of some aspect of Hoffmann’s desire. Thomas Hampson portrays the shadowy Four Villains, and Yves Abel conducts the sparkling score.

“Tenors, as a group, are notorious for supposed musical bad behavior. They add in high notes where none exist and sit for hours on the ones actually in the score. They are said to ignore their colleagues and milk the crowd.

“In his first couple of productions at the Metropolitan Opera, where he returned on Monday to star in a revival of Offenbach’s Les Contes d’Hoffmann, Vittorio Grigolo was guilty of all manner of tenorial misdemeanors. As Rodolfo, in Puccini’s La Bohème, in 2010, and the Duke, in Verdi’s Rigoletto, in 2013, he showboated; he crooned; he sang loudly when he wasn’t supposed to, because, well, why not? But like a chastened miscreant on probation, Mr. Grigolo arrived for ‘Hoffmann’ eagerly reformed.” —New York Times

Tickets for this Met: Live in HD presentation of Les Contes d’Hoffmann are $18, $13 for students, $2 off for Orcas Center members, and may be purchased at www.orcascenter.org or by calling 376-2281 ext. 1 or visiting the Orcas Center Box Office open Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from noon – 4 pm. For more information about Orcas Center 2015season events, please visit www.orcascenter.org.