LA Opera Presents THE TALES OF HOFFMAN, Starring Diana Damrau, 3/25-4/15

General Director Plácido Domingo has announced complete casting details for LA Opera's upcoming presentation of The Tales of Hoffmann. A revival of the company's 2002 production, conceived and directed by Marta Domingo, The Tales of Hoffmann will star tenor Vittorio Grigolo as poet E.T.A. Hoffmann opposite soprano Diana Damrau as the four heroines of his ill-fated romances. Mr. Domingo will conduct five of the six performances of Jacques Offenbach's final masterpiece, with Resident Conductor Grant Gershon conducting on April 6. Performances will take place at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion (135 North Grand Avenue, Los Angeles CA 90012) from March 25 through April 15.

The opera is based on stories by the real-life poet E.T.A. Hoffmann, who also serves as the work's protagonist and narrator. Urged on by his tavern comrades, Hoffmann recounts the stories of the fascinating women who captured his heart: wind-up doll Olympia, conniving Giulietta, fragile Antonia and elusive Stella. Although his romances are foiled by sinister figures of darkness at every turn, Hoffmann is ultimately rewarded with a poet's artistic salvation.

"The Tales of Hoffmann describes a poet's unending search for true and lasting love, with a heart-wrenching combination of innocence and determination," said Mr. Domingo, who notably performed the role of Hoffmann in the world's great opera houses earlier in his career, including at LA Opera in 1988. "It's a beautiful opera filled with comedy, drama and memorable melodies and it has long been an audience favorite with opera lovers around the world."

Performance Dates and Times

There will be six performances of The Tales of Hoffmann presented at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion (135 North Grand Avenue, Los Angeles, 90012):

• Saturday, March 25, 2017, at 7:30pm

• Thursday, March 30, 2017, at 7:30pm

• Sunday, April 2, 2017, at 2pm

• Thursday, April 6, 2017, at 7:30pm

• Sunday, April 9, 2017, at 2pm

• Saturday, April 15, 2017, at 7:30pm

The Cast

The role of Hoffmann will be performed by tenor Vittorio Grigolo, in his first LA Opera appearance since his 2011 company debut as Roméo in Roméo et Juliette. The four women he pursues (Olympia, Giulietta, Antonia and Stella) will all be performed by German soprano Diana Damrau, making her LA Opera debut. Mr. Grigolo and Ms. Damrau won tremendous acclaim earlier this season in their Metropolitan Opera appearances together in Roméo et Juliette. French bass-baritone Nicolas Testé makes his first LA Opera appearance as all four of Hoffmann's four nemeses (Lindorf, Coppélius, Dr. Miracle and Dapertutto).

American mezzo-soprano Kate Lindsey, who has previously appeared with LA Opera as Zaide in The Turk in Italy and as Angelina in La Cenerentola (Cinderella), returns in the dual role of Hoffmann's companion Nicklausse and the Muse of Poetry. French tenor Christopher Mortagne makes his LA Opera debut in the quadruple role of the four servants (Andrès, Cochenille, Pitichinacchio and Frantz).

Also featured are Rodel Rosell as Spalanzani and mezzo-soprano Sharmay Musacchio as the Voice of Antonia's Mother.

The cast includes four members of LA Opera's Domingo-Colburn-Stein Young Artist Program: tenor Brian Michael Moore as Nathanaël, baritone Theo Hoffman as Hermann, baritone Kihun Yoon as Luther and bass-baritone Nicholas Brownlee as Crespel. Baritone Daniel Armstrong, an alumnus of the program, returns as Schlémil.

The Creative Team

General Director Plácido Domingo conducts five of the six performances, with Resident Conductor Grant Gershon conducting the April 6 performance. Mr. Gershon also serves as chorus director. The production, conceived and directed by Marta Domingo, features lighting designed by Alan Burrett. The choreographer is Kitty McNamee and the fight director is Ed Douglas.

Advance Tickets

Tickets are on sale now. Tickets begin at $24 and can be purchased in person at the LA Opera Box Office at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, by phone at 213.972.8001 or online at LAOpera.org. For disability access, call 213.972.0777 or email LAOpera@LAOpera.org.

For additional information, visit LAOpera.org/Hoffmann.

(LA Opera)

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