[Met Performance] CID:223020
Les Contes d'Hoffmann {112} Metropolitan Opera House: 09/16/1970.
(Debut: Serge Baudo
Review)
Metropolitan Opera House
September 16, 1970
LES CONTES D'HOFFMANN {112}
Jacques Offenbach-Jules Barbier
Hoffmann................Nicolai Gedda
Olympia.................Reri Grist
Giulietta...............Rosalind Elias
Antonia.................Pilar Lorengar
Stella..................Skiles Fairlie
Lindorf.................Gabriel Bacquier
Coppélius...............Gabriel Bacquier
Dappertutto.............Gabriel Bacquier
Dr. Miracle.............Gabriel Bacquier
Nicklausse..............Frederica von Stade
Andrès..................Andrea Velis
Cochenille..............Andrea Velis
Pitichinaccio...........Andrea Velis
Frantz..................Andrea Velis
Luther..................Richard Best
Nathanael...............Charles Anthony
Hermann.................Gene Boucher
Spalanzani..............Paul Franke
Schlemil................Clifford Harvuot
Crespel.................Paul Plishka
Mother's Voice..........Batyah Godfrey Ben-David
Conductor...............Serge Baudo [Debut]
Director................Cyril Ritchard
Designer................Rolf Gérard
Choreographer...........Cyril Ritchard
Les Contes d'Hoffmann received nine performances this season.
Review of Winthrop Sargeant in the New Yorker
Wednesday night brought that old favorite "Les Contes d'Hoffmann," with a cast that was generally good, if by no means up to the standard of that of "Ernani." Nicolai Gedda, whose voice lacks velvet, though he is an excellent musician and has excellent French enunciation as well as a handsome appearance, was the Hoffmann. Reri Grist made one of the cutest mechanical dolls to be seen in a long time, and sang her lines accurately. I wish that her role had not been plagued by Cyril Ritchard's incorrigible habit, as director, of milking laughs. One spontaneous self-winding-up of Olympia's machinery is funny; the second falls flat. Rosalind Elias was certainly acceptable as Giulietta, and so was Pilar Lorengar as Antonia. Frederica von Stade made a very good Nicklausse, though her femininity betrayed her masculine costume more than once. The quadruple roles of Coppélius, Dappertutto, Lindorf, and Dr. Miracle were done by Gabriel Bacquier, a splendid actor, and if his baritone voice is not the most beautiful in the world, it is at least a powerful one. Paul Franke and Clifford Harvuot who were, incidentally, the only singers from past productions of "Hoffmann," performed expertly as Spalanzani and Schlemil. Paul Plishka was outstanding as Antonia's father, and Andrea Veils was effective in all four of his minor roles. A new conductor, Serge Baudo, didn't seem to arouse much tension. He proved to be what is usually described as a useful "routinier."