Uptown Production The Music And Acting In Uptown Opera’s ‘Tales Of Hoffmann’ Make The Three-Hour Performance Fly

Uptown Opera’s production of Jacques Offenbach’s “Tales of Hoffmann” is under way. It should be said up front that this is a long opera. Sure, there are longer efforts by Wagner and others, but “Hoffmann” clocks in at more than three hours, including the two intermissions, so it allows plenty of time to become acquainted with the seats in The Met.

Orchestra conductor for the performance, Randi von Ellefson, says the time flies by in this opera, though. This is due in part to the changes of scenery. Although the characters reappear from act to act, some in different guises, there are four distinctly different settings; one for each of the story lines.

Uptown was able to shift the focus from scene to scene in the very small Met space with a fairly ingenious use of staging and moveable pieces. Tall, square columns stayed in place throughout the opera and provided the anchor for the tavern’s bar, a storage closet for the doll Olympia, the walls for Antonia’s chamber and an open dock for the gondola to slide into during the Giulietta act.

Lyric tenor Douglas Johnson appeared as the poet E.T.A. Hoffmann, who tells his devastating and morbid tales of lost love to his drinking companions. He possesses a clear and easy voice which sailed through the drinking songs, love songs and dramatic pieces with equal effortlessness.

Gary Aldrich sang the parts for all of the baritone bad guys: Lindorf, Coppelius, Dappertutto and Dr. Miracle. He seemed to take delight in the evilness of his characters, and was unerring in his manner, maintaining the fine distinctions between power-monger, sorcerer and mystic. The comic aspects of Coppelius were brought out as something close to a wacko mad scientist.

Aldrich had a powerful, resonant voice which, when needed, cut through even the biggest ensemble pieces. His ode to the bribery of Giulietta, “Diamond Bright,” was a thrill.

Speaking of thrills, when Paul Linnes as Antonia’s father joined Johnson and Aldrich for their anguished trio, my remaining hairs were standing on end in appreciation of power, style and intonation.

Kari Ragan, the soprano who took all of the leading lady parts - Olympia, Giulietta, Antonia and Stella - was a little disappointing on opening night. She had a full voice, but her words were often difficult to catch. There is a black hole at the back of The Met stage from which sound can barely escape, but Ragan’s enunciation was lacking even from the front of the proscenium.

“Olympia’s Song,” a queen of the nightmare to sing in the best of circumstances, sounded a little strained. Heather Steckler, who sang the part in the Silver Cast, made the difficult aria sound as easy as a day at the beach.

Also worthy of note was Lisa Pyron in the role of the muse and Hoffmann’s companion Nicklausse. She sang with precision and clarity.

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: “Tales of Hoffmann” Uptown Opera, Friday, Sept. 8, The Met It will be repeated on Thursday at 7:30 p.m., and on Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. Reserved seat tickets range from $8 to $26 and are available at G&B Select-a-Seat outlets and by calling 325-SEAT or (800) 325-SEAT.