Just a thought: Rolando-Hoffmann in Munich tomorrow.

Opening night of Les Contes d'Hoffman on the 31st in Munich.
Having missed his 2007 appearance in this role at Bastille Opera House( he was ill the matinée I booked and I heard another tenor, I was more than disappointed...), I actually heard him at the ROH on Dec the 10th 2008. I was very pleased to discover his acting in the role of a lunatic poet in love, he was very well-sung that night and I keep this production as a very fine souvenir, I also appreciated the setting and musical parts more in London than in Bastille where the Carsen production transformed act I in a farce and only the prologue, epilogue, and Antonia act, were fine to my ears and eyes. In Paris it was done according to this:
Prologue-Olympia-Giulietta-Antonia -Epilogue.
In London, we had:
Prologue-Olympia-Antonia-Giulietta-Epilogue, the way Jacques Offenbach wanted it to be done. He died before finishing the scores, and Ernest Guiraud ended the orchestral parts. I am very fond of the final chorus : 'On est grand par L'amour et plus grand par les pleurs'...'
There is still a huge problem about the work as pages of it have been sold every where in the world. Now there are musicologists who are trying to unite the scores. There are roughly two official score versions and a third one trying to unite the two. I will listen to BR -Lkassik at 18pm .
It will be the J. Ch Keck edition
It is going to be a suspense as I know this Hoffmann through Rolando Villazon's voice. So It will bring back happy memories, this role, on stage in London, was his, without doubt, he really enacted so well the depressive poet who perhaps will find inspiration in the end...
There is a youtube presentation and Rolando -Hoffmann to be once more, seems to be putting on an act, overdoing it, compared to his partner Diana Damrau, smiling gently to his facetious 'drinks'... I will watch it on Arte on the 21st of November, hopefully! LINK

He seems to be in great form! All my best wishes for the two of them, Diana is going to sing the three roles... she is so good too!
Final chorus:
La Muse [à Hoffmann]
Des cendres de ton coeur
réchauffe ton génie,
dans la serenité
souris à tes douleurs!
[Hoffmann sort de son immobilité]
La Muse apaisera
ta souffrance benie,
ta souffrance, ta souffrance benie...

Choeur Invisible [SATB]
On est grand par l'amour
et plus grand par les pleurs
Choeur [B]
on est grand par les pleurs,
/ plus grand, oui, plus grand par les pleurs.
| Choeur [SAT]
| on est grand par l'amour,
\ et plus grand par les pleurs.
[Hoffmann s'est redressé et écoute]

I must thank the uploader so much for this musical and accurate rendition.