"Tales" untold
La Cieca hears that the Met will scrap next season’s revival of Les Contes d’Hoffman (scheduled for February-March 2008) in favor of Carmen. A well-informed source suggests that the switch will be done at the behest of tenor Marcelo Álvarez, who would have sung the title role in the Offenbach but will now perform his first local Don Jose. Opposite Álvarez will be the familiar but always welcome Carmencita of Olga Borodina.
AN isn’t scheduled for Hoffman until 09/10 season, when a new production is scheduled with Villazon as Hoffman. By then, maybe her voice will be able to take on all three ladies. I loved the Schenck production and saw it with Domingo, the late Ruth Welting who brought down the house as Olympia, Troyanas, and Alexander. Robert Carsen’s production is amazing, too–probably the most imaginative one out there. I’d be happy if the Met brought in that production instead of mounting a new one.
Ooohhhhhhh. I thought the new production was this year. Aha. Well, that’s good, right? It will make the new one a little more interesting, or, well, anticipated anyway…
I can’t believe Alvarez’ repertory choice is the only reason for switching HOFFMANN to CARMEN. The MET needs new stagings of each; HOFFMANN because it’s 25 years old (and yes, it was wonderful when new) and CARMEN because…well, it just doesn’t do justice. With a new HOFFMANN already announced, perhaps it was just going to be too much of an effort to cobble together the old production for another revival. But I just can’t believe that it’s easier to change operas and recast rather than to find another tenor capable of doing justice to Hoffmann at the MET.
I await further gossip and hard news.