Ok so my Tuesday starts with an 8:00 lecture class, staying in school the whole day, and not knowing how I will stay awake for Contes D’ Hoffman. I was not only awake, but I was engaged the entire time; despite the fact that I was awake for eighteen hours straight I can not reflect on this opera with any angst. It was definitely a great way to start off and remember my first opera experience.
I want to start off with the background story of the production. You would think when someone does a production taken from the 1800s that it would immediately be boring. In fact it was not, I think that the storyline of Offenbach’s work can be used for years to come. How someone falls in love for a person and it usually goes wrong, I mean how many times do we see this on the TV screen. I think that operas that show productions along this line will achieve their goal of drawing the younger audience. We are always interested in plots that involve this subject because it keeps us alert. I think this was one of the reasons that this opera would be good for a young audience. It would draw the youth and narrow the age gap of the audience so that it is not just the “graying” Americans that view great works. I think that the story line was a huge factor that allowed me to stay attentive for three and a half hours.
So I understood the story line and another thing I noticed immediately was the stage setting. I know critics have discussed heavily about the importance of stage setting in an overall production. Based on readings, I wondered what would critics think of this stage, whether it was too distracting or just right. Even though the stage was elaborate and decorative, I still was able to concentrate on the opera. The curtains were very ornamented and fluffy in a way as well. I felt that the stages for the opera needed to be large because it was fitting to the large theater. The elements of the stage were also very detailed such as the tavern The tavern displayed a very realistic appearance, one that I would imagine in a movie. These elements were fascinating and what amazed me is how fast the transitions of settings were made. Some occurred while singing was done which amazed me at how efficient and quick each setting was made contributing to the flow of the opera.
One element of the opera that I felt was needed to draw any young audience and myself to the work were the performers. To be honest if the performers were your stereotypical fat lady singing, as a young audience I might not of given this opera a chance at all. The performers were relatively young and alive which made me interested and kept me awake. I think the young performers were key because when I watch a young performer I am interested because of the energy they have. I was amazed at how they sang in French and how they knew the language so well. The opera being sung in French kept me awake as well because the songs possess a rhythm because of the language. This made songs such as Kleinzach very catchy and interesting. They did not just do a usual “park and bark”, but spoke and sung with passion as if they were truly that character. The character that played Hoffman sung with grief and anguish which made his role captivating and one to remember.
Lastly the costumes were also a very interesting way of expressing the storyline. For instance, Hoffman’s costumes were always centered around black which emphasizes the constant grief he feels throughout the entire opera. Another example is Giuletta’s costume which is a long deep dark red which can emphasize how seductive she is as a courtesan. Ever since “The Taxi Driver”, I have been trying to analyze productions more carefully which is what I did for this production. It made me intuitive towards the piece and overall enjoy my first opera experience all the more.
As part of a young audience, I first looked on the opera with such negativity. I wanted the day to end so I could go home. This opera appealed to me for so many reasons such as an interesting plot. The songs were not drawn out but just right and memorable. Overall my opera experience was eventful but definitely worth it.
