Opera on 3 - Opera on 3 from the Royal Opera House - Offenbach's Les Contes d'Hoffmann

Launching a season from the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, Donald Macleod introduces a revival of the production by film director John Schlesinger, which was first seen in the UK in 1980 in commemoration of the centenary both of Offenbach's death and the premiere of the opera in Paris. Tenor Rolando Villazon returns to perform the central role of the drunken poet Hoffmann who, as he becomes more and more intoxicated, promises to tell his fellow-drinkers the stories of a trio of enchantresses who shared his life between them, one in each act of the opera. Hoffmann ...... Rolando Villazon (tenor) The Muse/Nicklausse ...... Kristine Jepson (mezzo-soprano) Lindorf/Coppelius/Dappertutto/Dr Miracle ...... Gidon Saks (bass-baritone) Olympia ...... Ekaterina Lekhina (soprano) Giulietta ...... Christine Rice (mezzo-soprano) Antonia ...... Katie Van Kooten (soprano) Spirit of Antonia's mother ...... Gaynor Keeble (mezzo-soprano) Crespel ...... Matthew Rose (bass) Andres/Cochenille/Pittichinaccio/Frantz ...... Graham Clark (tenor) Luther ...... Lynton Black (bass) Spalanzani ...... Robin Leggate (tenor) Schlemil ...... Kostas Smoriginas (bass-baritone) Stella ...... Olga Sabadoch Students ...... Changhan Lim (baritone), Ji-Min Park (tenor) Royal Opera Chorus Orchestra of the Royal Opera House Antonio Pappano (conductor). SEE BELOW FOR LINKS TO INTERVIEWS WITH ARTISTS, PRODUCTION PHOTOS AND FULL SYNOPSIS