HOUSTON GRAND OPERA
DAVID GOCKLEY
GENERAL DIRECTOR
Presents
OFFENBACH'S
THE TALES OF HOFFMAN
HOUSTON GRAND OPERA TO CONTINUE FALL REPERTORY WITH REVIVAL
OF ACCLAIMED PRODUCTION OF OFFENBACH'S
THE TALES OF HOFFMANN
Houston, TX, September 25, 1998 -- Houston Grand Opera completes its fall repertory with a
revival of Royal Shakespeare Company director Ian Judge's acclaimed production of Offenbach's
The Tales of Hoffmann. A fantastic and comic story of a poet's obsessive search for his feminine
ideal, The Tales of Hoffmann includes some of the most popular music in all of opera, including the
famed "Barcarolle." The Tales of Hoffinann opens Friday, October 30 at the Wortham Center's
Brown Theater, with additional performances on November 1m, 4, 7m, 7, 10,13, 14 and 15m,
1998. The Tales of Hoffmann is a co-production with Opera Australia.
Director Ian Judge and his production team (set designer Tim Goodchild, costume designer
Deirdre Clancy, lighting designer Noele Stollmack and choreographer Lindsay Dolan ) will recreate
their visually striking production, with its contemporary-looking costumes and classically-styled set.
The production concept takes inspiration from the haute couture fashion of 1950's Hollywood,
among other sources. For example, the mechanical doll Olympia is presented as a "high-tech,
remote-controlled robo vixen hybird of Marilyn Monroe and Jayne Mansfield" (Mike Greenberg,
San Antonio Express). Conductor Vjekoslav Sutej leads the Houston Symphony.
Tenor Ramon Vargas (Faust in HGO's 1997 production) returns in the role of the poet Hoffmann.
Making her HGO debut, Spanish soprano Maria Bayo will take on the roles of Hoffmann's four
loves--Olympia, Antonia, Giulietta and Stella. Hoffmann's four antagonists --Coppdlius, Dr.
Miracle, Dapertutto and Lindorf--will be sung by bass-baritone Dean Peterson (Figaro in last
season's The Marriage of Figaro). Mezzo-soprano Beth Clayton (last season's Cherubino in The
Marriage of Figaro) will assume the "trousee'role of Hoffmann's friend Nicklausse and the Muse.
Tenor Jon Kolbet will sing the roles of Andreas, Cochenille, Franz and Pitichinaccio. Tenor Chad
Shelton will sing the role of Nathanael, tenor Mark Swindler will sing Spalanzani, baritone Daniel
Belcher will sing Hermann and Schlemil and bass-baritone Christopher Feigum will take the roles of
Luther and Crespel.
An alternate, all-American cast featuring sopranos Tiffany Jackson, Kerri Marcinko, Carol Meyer
and Juliana Rambaldi, mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato, tenor Richard Troxell and bass-baritone
Louis Otey will assume the lead roles in this production for the Saturday Matinee Series
performance on November 7 and the Discovery Series performance on November 14. Those
performances will be conducted by Richard Bado.
The Tales of Hoffinann was composed by Jacques Offenbach to a libretto by Jules
Barbier after a play by Barbier and Michel Carrd based on three stories by E. T. A.
Hoffinann. Offenbach was a prolific composer of popular operettas. Written in what
turned out to be the last few years of his life, The Tales of Hoffmann was his attempt to
write a more serious work. For the libretto, three tales by the poet Hoffmann were
reworked, making Hoffmann himself the hero of his stories. Offenbach died while the
opera was in rehearsal, and it was finished by Ernest Guiraud. HGO's production includes
most of the restorations of the Fritz Oeser performing edition. The Tales ofHoffmann was
first performed at the Opera Cornique in Paris on February 10, 1881.
The poet Hoffmann tells his friends the story of his three loves, during the intermission of
a performance of Don Giovanni. The first, Olympia, is a mechanical doll created by
Coppelius, Hoffmann's first nemesis. Hoffmann falls in love with the doll, which is
eventually smashed by its angry creator. Hoffmann's second love is Antonia, a young
singer dying of consumption. Just as Hoffmann returns to her after a year's separation,
the evil Dr. Miracle tricks Antonia into causing her own death. The third story is of
Hoffmann's love for a courtesan, Giulietta. She enthralls him, steals his soul at the
bidding of the villain-- Dapertutto--and then, after Hoffmann has killed her ]over in a duel,
goes off with another admirer.
After the last tale, Hoffmann's friend, Nicklausse, explains that the three women are
embodied in Hoffmann's latest love, the prima donna Stella. The Muse of Poetry (who has
been disguised as Nicklausse) appears and consoles Hoffmann, explaining that the poet is
made great by tears. Finally, Nicklausse hands Stella off to a rival
suitor--Lindorf--ensuring that Hoffmann's heart will be broken once again.
British director Ian Judge joined the Royal Shakespeare company in 1975. His work for the RSC
includes Henry IV, Parts I and II, Henry V, Poppy (later re-cast and re-worked for the Adelphi
Theater), The Wizard of Oz and The Merry Wives of Windsor. He has also directed for the Old
Vic and the Barbican Centre. His opera directing credits include Faust, The Merry Widow,
Cavalleria RusticanalPagliacci and La Belle Vivette for English National Opera, Macbeth, Tosca
and Acis and Galatea for Opera North, Tosca and Madame Butterfly for Los Angeles Opera and
The Flying Dutchman for the Royal Opera.
Conductor Vjekoslav Sutej was music director and principal conductor of Houston Grand Opera
from 1992 to 1997. For HGO, he conducted many productions including Lucia di Lammermoor,
Attila, Rigoletto, La Traviata, Romeo and Juliet, Faust, Carmen, La Boh@me, Madame Butterfly,
Andrea Chenier, Boris Godunov, Ariadne aufNaxos and the world premiere of Florencia en el
Amazonas. He was music director of the Teatro la Fenice in Venice from 1990 to 1993 and artistic
director and principal conductor of Real Orquesta de Sevilla from 1990 to 1996. He has
conducted for Vienna State Opera, Opera Bastille in Paris and the companies of Tokyo, Naples
and Rome. In this country, Maestro Sutej has conducted for San Francisco Opera, Washington
Opera and Seattle Opera.
Set designer Tim Goodchild designed The Manchurian Candidate for the New Vic and Five Guys
Named Moe for the Lyric Theatre and Broadway. Other work in the West End includes
Wonderful Town, Little Shop of Horrors, Richard II and Hadrian VIL He designed over twenty
productions for the New Shakespeare Company. His work has also been seen in Egypt, Holland
and Norway. For the Royal Shakespeare Company, he designed The Taming ofthe Shrew, The
Relapse, Xenophobia, Three Hours After Marriage and The Merry Wives of Windsor. Mr.
Goodchild's opera design credits include Die Fledermaus and La Vie Parisienne for English
National Opera and La Traviata for Royal Danish Opera and Welsh National Opera. He won an
Olivier Award for Best Costume Design for his work on The Relapse.
Costume designer Deirdre Clancy is the holder of the highest honor in costume design in British
theater--the Olivier Award for Best Costume Design. From her first successes with the world
premiere of the D. H. Lawrence Trilogy at the Royal Court in 1966 and subsequent world
premieres of many Edward Bond and Joe Orton plays, she has been at the heart of mainstream
theater, opera and film, with over 100 productions in Europe, North America, Japan and Australia.
She has designed for 18 productions at the Royal National Theatre, including the inaugural
production of the present building, and 13 for the Royal Shakespeare Company. Among Clancy's
many successes are costumes for Kiri Te Kanawa in Cosifan tutte at the Metropolitan Opera and
Ian McKellen in Wild Honey at the National Theatre and subsequent U.S. tour. Most recently, she
designed the set and costumes for A Doll's House with Janet McTeer.
Lighting designer Noele Stollmack's designs include Carmen for Opera Ontario and Opera
Columbus; Don Carlos for Portland Opera; Rigoletto, Andrea Chenier, Eugene Onegin, Tosca and
La Traviata for New Orleans Opera; and Help, Help the Globolinks for Madison Opera. Her
many productions at Houston's Alley Theater include Three Tall Women, Oleanna, All in the
Timing, Wait Until Dark and Death and the Maiden. A former lighting director for Houston Grand
Opera, she supervised over 50 productions, and designed the lighting for such productions as
Andrei Serban's Elektra, Jonathan Miller's Der Rosenkavalier, Aida and the world premieres of
Harvey Milk, Desert ofRoses and Dracula Diary. Ms. Stollmack's architectural lighting design has
been displayed at the Guggenheim Museum in New York, where she served as associate lighting
designer. Her work is currently represented on Broadway by Jonathan Larson's Rent, for which
she is the assistant lighting designer.
Choreographer Lindsay Dolan choreographed Simon Boccanegra and The Flying Dutchman for
the Royal Opera; La Belle Vivette, Faust and Don Quixote for English National Opera; The Tales
of Hoffmann, Iolanthe and The Pirates ofPenzance for Victoria State Opera, Australia; and Falstaff
for Scottish Opera. For the Royal Shakespeare Company, he choreographed A Christmas Carol,
Twelfth Night and Love's Labour's Lost. He choreographed The Mitford Girls for the Globe
Theatre, Kean for the Old Vic and Show Boat for the Palladium. As a director, his work includes
La Vie Parisienne at D'Oyly Carte and Godspell at the Barbican. Mr. Dolan won the Manchester
Evening News Award two years in succession for A Little Shop ofHorrors and Dames At Sea. His
television and film work includes Tango Brasiliano and Walt Disney's Christmas Special.
Ramon Vargas is one of today's most acclaimed tenors, having appeared in such prestigious
theaters as the Metropolitan, La Scala, Vienna State Opera and the Bastille in Paris. He has
appeared at HGO as the Duke of Mantua in Rigoletto and the title role in Faust. Born in Mexico
City, Mr. Vargas began his international career appearing in several productions at the Lucerne
(Switzerland) Opera. In 1992, Mr. Vargas opened the Rome Opera season as Count Almaviva in
The Barber ofSeville. He also made his Metropolitan Opera debut that year as Edgardo in Lucia di
Lammermoor opposite June Anderson. He made his La Scala debut in 1993 as Fenton in a new
production of Falstaff conducted by Riccardo Muti and appeared as the Duke of Mantua in
Rigoletto at the Teatro de Bellas Artes in his native Mexico City.
Since then, Mr. Vargas has appeared at the Metropolitan Opera in Rigoletto, The Barber of Seville and La Cenerentola; the Royal Opera in La Traviata; Los Angeles Opera in The Elixir of Love; English National Opera in Rigoletto; Opdra Bastille in Paris in La Traviata and Vienna State Opera in Lucia di Lammermoor. This season, he returns to Los Angeles Opera for the title role in Werther. His discography includes Falstaff for Sony Classics, Otello for EMI, Zaira for Nuova Era and Tancredi, for BMG.
Born in Navarre, Spain, soprano Maria Bayo studied with Teresa Berganza, with whom she later
appeared in Rinaldo in Lisbon and Madrid, and performed duo recitals at Festival Saint-Denis in
Paris. She has appeared with Hamburg Opera as First Lady in The Magic Flute and Norina in Don
Pasquale. She made her debut at La Scala as Musetta in La Boheme. She sang Susanna in The
Marriage of Figaro at Opera Bastille in Paris. Other roles have included Antonia in The Tales of
Hoffmann at Opera Bastille, Zerlina in Don Giovanni at the Teatro Colon Buenos Aires, and
L'Ensoeillad in Cherubin by Massenet at the Royal Opera House. She performed in La Boheme
and The Tales ofHoffmann at La Scala and The Tales of Hoffmann at Vienna State Opera. Last
season, Ms. Bayo made her Metropolitan Opera debut as Zerlina in Don Giovanni. She also
performed the title role of La Calisto in Barcelona, Salzburg (Easter Festival) and at Lincoln Center
Festival and Cherubino in The Marriage ofFigaro at Salzburg Summer Festival. She has appeared
in concert performances under Claudio Scimone at the Paris Opera. She sang Stabat Mater and
Mahler's Symphony II conducted by Giuseppe Sinopoli in London. She made her New York
recital debut as part of the Great Performers at Lincoln Center Series. Her latest recordings include
a Spanish Song recital and L'Occasione il Ladro by Rossini for Claves, as well at Atlantida by de
Falla and Francisquita with Alfredo Kraus for Auvidis.
With recent and upcoming engagements at the National Symphony, the Minnesota Orchestra, the
Baltimore Symphony, the Washington Opera and Houston Grand Opera, mezzo-soprano Beth
Clayton is a rapidly rising talent in the operatic and concert world. In June 1996, Miss Clayton
made her debut with the National Symphony singing the Messiah with Christopher Hogwood and
was immediately invited to repeat as Messiah soloist in the National Symphony's December 1996
performances. She appeared as the Fox in The Cunning Little Vixen in her debut with the Canadian
Opera Company in Toronto. She made her Washington Opera debut as Don Ramiro in Mozart's
La Finta Giardiniera. She appeared on a "Live from Lincoln Center" broadcast, A Salute to the
American Musical, opposite such distinguised artists as Marilyn Horne, Frederica von Stade,
Samuel Ramey and Jerry Hadley. While a member of Houston Opera Studio, Ms. Clayton
appeared in Romeo and Juliet and Four Saints in Three Acts, which traveled to the Lincoln Center
Festival in New York and the Edinburgh Festival. She is winner of the Sullivan Award and a finalist
at the 1995 Metropolitan National Council Auditions.
Bass-baritone Dean Peterson has, in recent seasons, appeared on the stages of La Scala in the title
role in Boito's Mefistofele, Colline in La Boh@me, Raimondo in Lucia di Lammermoor and as Don
Fernando in Fidelio, the Ravenna Festival in the Verdi Requiem with Riccardo Muti (taped for
commercial release by EMI) and Oreste in Elektra with Dallas Opera. He has also appeared at
Deutsche Oper Berlin in a new production of Carlisle Floyd's Susannah and La Scala as
Mephistopheles in Faust. He made his Vienna State Opera debut as Mozart's Figaro, repeated that
role with the State Opera's tour to Beijing and in the same season sang the title role in Boito's Me
tofele. Mr. Peterson has also appeared at New York City Opera in the title role in The Marriage
offigaro (telecast on PBS's Great Performances), Escamillo in Carmen and Basilio in The Barber
ofSeville. Last season at Houston Grand Opera, he appeared as Figaro in The Marriage offigaro.
He will make his Met debut in 1999 as Boito's Mefistofele.
The Southwestern Bell Pre-Curtain Lecture Series is thirty minutes before each performance.
Guest speakers will present a twenty-minute informal lecture on the sixth floor of the Grand Foyer.
These lectures, free and open to all ticket holders, are intended to enhance audience members'
enjoyment by preparing them for the production they are about to attend.
Wortharn Center features easy wheelchair access to both theaters. An infrared listening system,
generously underwritten by Pennzoil Company, is available and free of charge at all performances.
Please call the subscription office at 713/546-0246 or 1-800-346-4462 for details. Descriptive
services for visually impaired persons are also available with 48-hour advance reservations. Please
call the Education and Outreach Depamnent at 713/546-0230 for information or to make a
reservation.
The Tales of Hoffmann is sung in French with English surtitles. HGO's surtitles are underwritten
by Compaq Computer Corporation.
Single tickets for The Tales ofHoffinann, priced from $20 to $175, are available by phone at
713/227-ARTS, out-of-town at 1-800-828-ARTS or in person at both Houston Ticket Center
locations (the ticket lobby at the Wortham Theater Center and courtyard level at Jones Hall) and at
all TicketMaster outlets. Ticket prices do not include a $1 city surcharge.
Lyondell Petrochemical is the corporate guarantor for The Tales ofHoffmann.
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HOUSTON GRAND OPERA ANNOUNCES FALL EDUCATION &
OUTREACH EVENTS
Free Events Include Wagner Lecture and Family Night at The Children's Museum of Houston
Houston, TX, October 8, 1998 -- Houston Grand Opera's Education and Outreach Department
has announced several events being held in conjunction with HGO's productions of The Flying
Dutchman and The Tales of Hoffmann.
On Monday, October 19 at 7:00 pm, Houston Grand Opera will present a free lecture on Wagner
and The Flying Dutchman by D6siree Mays, lecturer for the Santa Fe Opera. This event is
co-sponsored by the Wagner Society. The lecture will be held at the Wortharn Theater Center.
On Thursday, October 22 from 6:00 to 8:00 pm, Houston Grand Opera and The Children's
Museum of Houston will present "Family Night at The Museum." At this free event for families,
members of Houston Opera Studio will perform selections from The Tales of Hoffmann and
children will make and decorate paper dolls. The Children's Museum of Houston is located in the
Museum District at 1500 Binz. On November 7 at 2:00 pm, there will be a Family Matinee
performance of Houston Grand Opera's production of Offenbach's The Tales of Hoffmann. Adults
may purchase up to two children's tickets at $4.99 each when purchasing a full price ticket for
themselves.
On Wednesday, November I I at 7:00 pm, Houston Grand Opera will present the High School
Night at the Opera performance of The Tales of Hoffmann in the Wortharn Theater Center's
Brown Theater. For more information about these events, call 713-546-0230.
HOUSTON GRAND OPERA
510 PRESTON HOUSTON, TEXAS 77002-1594
(713) 546-0200
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HOUSTON GRAND OPERA-ANNOUNCES FALL-EDUCATION &
OUTREACH EVENTS
Free Fall Events Include Wagner Lecture and Family Night at The Children's Museum of Houston
WHO:
Houston Grand Opera's Education and Outreach Department
WHAT:
Houston Grand Opera's Education and Outreach Department has announced the
following free events:
Monday, October 19 * 7:00 pm
Location: The Wortharm Center
Wagner and The Flying Dutchman
Free lecture by 136siree Mays of Santa Fe Opera
Co-sponsored by the Wagner Society
Thursday, October 22 * 6:00-8:00 pm
Location: Children's Museum of Houston, 1500 Binz
"Family Night at the Museum"
Free event for families, featuring music and
activities related to The Tales of Hoffmann
Saturday, November 7 * 2:00 pm
Location: Brown Theater
Wortham Theater Center
Family Matinee of The Tales ofHoffmann
Discounted tickets for children attending with
an adult at full price
Wednesday, November 11 * 7:00 pm
Location: Brown Theater, Wortharn Theater Center
The Tales of Hoffinann
High School Night at the Opera
CONTACT:
For information about these events, call 713-546-0230.
HOUSTON GRAND OPERA
510 PRESTON HOUSTON, TEXAS 77002-1594
(713) 546-0200
FAX: (713) 228-4355