Jessica Pratt Returns For Opera Australia’s Tales Of Hoffmann

Following in the great Dame Joan Sutherland’s footsteps, coloratura soprano Jessica Pratt will make history when she sings all four soprano roles in the world premiere of Damiano Michieletto’s new production of Jacques Ofenbach’s opera, The Tales of Hoffmann which opens at the Sydney Opera House in July.

Homegrown superstar Jessica Pratt returns to Australia to make her role debut as all four of Hoffmann’s leading ladies within the opera. Like Dame Joan, Pratt is currently one of few sopranos in the world capable of tackling this fiendishly difficult repertoire, including the famous Doll Song. 

Italian director Damiano Michieletto’s brand new production marks the first co-production with the Royal Opera House that Opera Australia will build and create locally in its Surry Hills workshop. This is also the first time this partnership betgween the companies will stage a premiere season in the Sydney Opera House. Long-term collaborators, lighting designer Alessandro Carletti, set designer Paolo Fantin and costume designer Carla Teti, which will join to create Hoffmann’s three worlds. This accomplished creative team is memorable for its brilliant realisation of Rossini’s Il Viaggio a Reims in 2019.

Based on the stories of German romantic author and composer E.T.A Hoffmann, Offenbach’s greatest and final work follows a tipsy Hoffmann narrating the fanciful stories of his four great loves, his elusive muse and the evil which follows him. Peruvian tenor Iván Ayón Rivas will make his role debut as Hoffmann following his Opera Australia debut earlier this year as Rodolfo in La Bohème. Croatian bass-baritone Marko Mimica will also make his Opera Australia and role debuts playing all four villains.

Opera Australia principal singers will also make role debuts including Agnes Sarkis, Jennifer Black, David Parkin, Iain Henderson, Tomas Dalton, Luke Gabbedy, Sian Sharp, Anthony Mackey and Adam Player, performing alongside Richard Anderson who will reprise one role and perform a new to complete the leading cast, conducted by Guillaume Tourniaire who returns to Sydney, to conduct the production following his success with OA’s Don Giovanni earlier this year.

Creatives: Conductor Guillaume Tourniaire/ Director Damiano Michieletto/Set Designer Paolo Fantin/Costume Designer Carla Teti/Lighting Designer Alessandro Carletti/Projection Designer Vandal/Choreographer Chiara Vecchi/ Assistant Directors Eleonora Gravagnola & Shaun Rennie
Cast: Hoffmann Iván Ayón Rivas/ Olympia/Antonia/Guilietta/Stella Jessica Pratt/ Coppelius/Dapertutto/Dr Miracle/Lindorf Marko
Mimica/ Nicklausse Agnes Sarkis/Antonia’s mother Jennifer Black/Spalanzani Iain Henderson/Crespel David Parkin/Nathanaël Tomas Dalton/Hermann Luke Gabbedy/Frantz/Andres/Cochenille/Pitichinaccio Adam Player/Schlemil Richard Anderson/The Muse Sian Sharp/Luther Richard Anderson/La Harpe Anthony Mackey/Opera Australia Chorus/Opera Australia Orchestra

Performance information Evenings at 7.00pm Jul 11, 13, 15, 18, 20 /Afternoon at 12.00 midday Jul 22
Running time Approximately 3 hours and 40 minutes including two intervals
Performed in French with English surtitles

Bookings: Adult tickets from $81 (fees may apply)
Opera Australia Box Office (02) 9318 8200/www.opera.org.au/

A co-production between Opera Australia, Royal Opera House Covent Garden, Opera National De Lyon and Fondazione Teatro La Fenice di Venezia.