Libretto by Jules Barbier based on three short stories by E.T.A. Hoffmann.
Sung in English with English side-titles
A Buxton International Festival in collaboration with Royal Norwich Theatre, featuring the Buxton International Festival Orchestra
What drives a poet to love the wrong woman, three times over? In Offenbach’s final opera, Hoffmann revisits his most disastrous affairs: a mechanical automaton in Paris, a doomed young soprano in Munich, and a scheming courtesan in Venice. Rich with gorgeous melodies and sharp emotional truth, this tale captures the narrow line between passion and obsession, proving that while love may fail us, art endures forever.
Best known as the king of French operetta, Offenbach spent his career writing witty satires before turning his talents toward this ambitious final work. Tragically, he died four months before its premiere, leaving an incomplete score with multiple endings. That very ambiguity gives every production a unique edge. Its blend of lyrical beauty and fantasy reveals a master of comedy reaching for something profound and eternal.
Guided through his hallucinations by his ever-faithful Muse, Hoffmann’s dreamscapes collide with dark forces at every turn. From the haunting strains of the famous Barcarolle to the virtuosity of Olympia’s doll song, the score is a kaleidoscope of romance, gothic mystery, and theatrical genius. This production, directed by Jacopo Spirei, transforms the stage of the Opera House into a surreal feast for the senses, bringing Offenbach’s haunting swan song to life.
Directed by Jacopo Spirei
Opera image coming soon
