Les Contes d'Hoffmann

Anyone going to see this tonight?

I really wish i was! Sadly...uni is more important at the moment, shame though as this is one of my favourite operas. It's stylsticly different and i love how (intentionally) several singers are meant to play up to 4 characters in the same opera. I know the ROH production is slightly different though. I can imagine Rollando Villazon is perfect for Hoffmann, i'd bet that Gidon Saks steals the show though. I saw him a few years ago in 'Mazepa', something i'll never forget.

It seems like you were a bit underwhelmed by this current revival. I'm glad that Villazon is back on form though. I thought his performance as Carlos was very good actually...much better than i'd imagined. Nevertheless i think this repertoire is more suited to his vocal style.

I don't often hear opera sets being described as 'the stuff of dreams'

Its a shame that Gidon Saks failed to impress, i thought he would have been quite impressionable in these roles (which are the best in the whole opera!).

Kristine Jepson was an excellent composer earlier this year in Ariadne auf Naxos.

I saw Hoffman on Friday and I was pretty impressed by it. I thought Villazon was in very good form, the best I have seen from a tenor in sometime at the ROH and so were all the three main female parts. I didn't think Gidon Saks was as disappointing as made out in the review and maybe after the first night he was getting to grips with the roles more. I actually thought that the Dr Miracle part was his best. Graham Clark was superb at the servants as well. One of the best things I have seen at the ROH all year.

Glad you enjoyed the performance jflatter.

Isn't this Villazon's only appearence in the 2008/09 season?

Rollando Villazon has a severe cold and isn't performing tonight. He is being replaced by Zvetan Michailov.

Anybody going tonight...or heard of Zvetan?