SYNOPSIS 

PROLOGUE 

Berlin, Luther’s Tavern. The elderly Councillor Lindorf admires the opera singer Stella. Stella’s servant, Andrès, is with Lindorf, who bribes Andrès to hand over a letter Stella has addressed to Hoffmann along with a key to her dressing room. It is a letter of reconciliation, revealing that Stella still loves Hoffmann. She desires a randezvous with him in her dressing room after her performance, but Lindorf is determined to ruin any possibility of that. The students enter clamoring for beer and wine so they may toast Stella as their new diva. They wonder why Hoffmann is late. When he finally arrives with Nicklausse, Hoffmann orders a drink. The students want him to tell one of his stories. They agree on the legend of Kleinzach. Some of the students boast about their mistresses, prompting Hoffmann to extoll his three loves embodied in Stella, whom he believes has three souls in one: that of an artist, a young girl and a courtesan.  

ACT I 

Professor Spalanzani’s house in Paris. Spalanzani is an eccentric inventor. He has constructed the perfect automaton, a realistic doll he will introduce to society tonight as his daughter, Olympia. Her eyes were provided by Coppèlius, another incarnation of Hoffmann’s evil nemesis. Although he has only been able to admire Olympia from a distance, Hoffmann has fallen in love with her. Hoffmann arrives to find Spalanzani and his assistant, Cochenille, preoccupied with preparations for the presentation of Olympia. Coppèlius arrives to reclaim Olympia’s eyes. Encountering Nicklausse and Hoffmann, he says he is a friend of Spalanzani’s. Spalanzani enters and is surprised by Coppèlius, who demands part of the potential profits from Olympia and payment for her eyes. Spalanzani convinces Coppèlius to relinquish all of his rights to her for an additional 500 ducats and tries to dupe him with a worthless check drawn on the bank of Elias, which Coppèlius rushes off to cash. The guests arrive filled with compliments for Spalanzani. Cochenille announces that supper is served. Spalanzani asks Hoffmann to keep Olympia company while the guests take their places in the dining room. When Hoffmann and Olympia are alone, he passionately declares his love for her and believes that she loves him as well. Having discovered that Spalanzani’s check is worthless, Coppèlius returns for revenge and hides in Olympia’s room. The guests return to dance. Hoffmann waltzes wth Olympia, but she goes out of control. Spalanzani orders Cochenille to take Olympia to her room. Coppèlius is waiting there for her and destroys the doll’s mechanism. Hoffmann comes to his senses as Olympia is being smashed to bits.  

ACT II 

A plaza on the Grand Canal in Venice. Nicklausse starts to sing about this night of love and intoxication. Giulietta, the beautiful courtesan, joins in the song. Passionate sighs from the guests punctuate this dreamy barcarolle. But the languit barcarolle is not to Hoffmann’s liking. He leads everyone in a lively drinking song. Hoffmann has become a cynic, prefering alcohol and gambling to women. Schlemil, Guilietta’s current protector and Pitichinaccio, her paramor, vie for Giulietta’s attention. Dapertutto’s diamond lures Guilietta to him, ready to do his bidding. To keep the jewel, she must seduce Hoffmann and obtain his reflection, just as she bewitched Schlemil and robbed him of his shadow for Dapertutto’s diversion. Schlemil is delighted that he has won all of Hoffmann’s money. Dapertutto torments Schlemil by demonstrating that he casts no shadow, claiming it was accomplished by a simple trick of physics. Giulietta announces that it is time for the guests to leave and they depart to the strains of the barcarolle. Giulietta tells Hoffmann that Schlemil has the key to her boudoir and it is up to Hoffmann to obtain it. Schlemil challenges Hoffmann to a duel. He accepts, but having no weapon, will use Dapertutto’s rapier. Hoffmann and Schlemil begin fencing. Suddenly, Hoffmann is horrified when he realizes that Schlemil has no shadow. Hoffmann runs him through with Dapertutto’s rapier. He takes the key to Giulietta’s boudoir from the chain Schlemil wore around his neck, and rushes to join Giulietta. Giulietta abandons Hoffmann to Dapertutto and Pitichinaccio. Hoffmann is speechless and cannot believe what has happened.  

ACT III 

Councillor Crespel’s home in Munich. Antonia is the daughter of one of the greatest opera singers in Germany, who died of a fatal illness. Antonia aspires to be a singer, but is not aware she has inherited her mother’s disease. To save his daughter’s life, Crespel has isolated her from excitement and exertion. He has also forbidden her to sing, and has broken her engagement to marry Hoffmann, who fills Antonia with desires to make music and inspires her dreams of artistic pursuits. Antonia sings a nostalgic song about lost love. Crespel rushes in to remind Antonia of her promise not to sing anymore. She sadly renews it and goes to her room. Crespel blames Hoffmann for Antonia’s condition. Franz has forgotten to bolt the door, and when Hoffmann and Nicklausse arrive looking for Antonia, Franz obediently goes to get her. Hoffmann and Antonia reaffirm their love and plan to be married. Despite her father’s edict, she sings a love song with Hoffmann until she feels faint. Hearing Crespel return, Antonia urges Hoffmann to leave. She rushes to her chamber. Hoffmann hides where he can eavesdrop. Franz announces to Crespel that Dr.Miracle is at the door. Crespel refuses to permit him to enter, calling him a murderer who will destroy his daughter as he destroyed her mother. Suddenly, Dr.Miracle appears. Terrified, and helpless to prevent Dr.Miracle’s intervention Crespel witnesses a mesmerizing consultation Miracle has with an invisible Antonia. From his hiding place, Hoffmann watches in disbelief, determined to rescue Antonia. Dr.Miracle diagnosses that singing would be fatal for her, and he produces vials of medicine she should take everyday. Now aware of the danger to Antonia if she sings, Hoffmann tells her that for them to be married she must renounce her artistic ambitions. Unseen by Antonia, Dr.Miracle rekindles her dreams of fame and the theater, contrasted with the bourgeois existence a marriage with Hoffmann would impose on her. She resists temptation at first, but Dr.Miracle conjures the apparition of her deceased mother, who entreats Antonia to sing with her. Crespel enters to discover his daughter dying to the refrain of her love song.  

EPILOGUE 

Back in Luther’s Tavern. Hoffmann is exhausted from recounting the tales of his three loves. Luther reports that the performance of Don Giovanni has ended and the audience is cheering for Stella. In a drunken rage, Hoffmann threatens to attack Nicklausse when he concludes that Stella is the embodiment of Olympia, Giulietta and Antonia. At the end of this chorus, Stella arrives. Accompanied by her servant, Andres, Stella passes through the crowd of students and goes directly to Hoffmann who is completely drunk and aggressive. He insults Stella. Exhausted, Hoffmann collapses. Hoffmann has triumphed over his nemesis. His latest defeat in love completes the victory of the Muse, who (having abandoned the guise of Nicklausse), appears to her poet, whose passion must now be directed to his art.Hoffmann also believes that he hears Stella’s voice reminding him that he shall never forget his past.