ertainment

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Offenbach's Opera

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11 a.m. - 2 p.m.

• BEEF BURGERS • SALADS • SANDWICHES
• FISH • PASTA AND MORE!
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Lunch: Monday-Friday 11:00 am-2:00 pm
Dinner: Sunday-Thursday 5:00 pm-9:00 pm
Sunday Brunch: 11:00 am -2:00 pm
Sunday Dinner Buffet: 5:00 pm-9:00 pm

7295 Orchard Lake Road • West Bloomfield

S aeckvicrin.

vINpi,re 'llY\ortk.

AUTHENTIC SZECHUAN COOKING

ocktails
• '-- resh Seafood •
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• '1(\o MSG in any dishes • 'Vegetarian Dishes

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39450 14 Mile Rd.

(corner of Haggerty in the Newberry Square Plaza)

(248) 960-7666

Original location: 29215 5 Mile Rd. at Middlebelt-Livonia

"The Tales ofHoffman" will be performed by MOT

bou es. His style greatly influenced
Gilbert
and Sullivan. One of the compos
Special to the Jewish News
er's greatest achievements was the opera
bouffe Orpheus in the Underword (1858),
ith a strong Jewish con-
which contained the famous can-can
tingent, Michigan
music. In 1855 Offenbach had founded a
Opera Theatre's produc-
theatrical company, Bouffes-Parisiens,
tion of The Tales of
which he managed for many years, tour-
Hoffman — sung in French with
ing Great Britain and the United States.
English subtitles — will conclude the
This master of comic opera eventu-
spring season in six performances at
ally became more Parisian than the
the Detroit Opera House June 2-10.
Parisians. He converted to Roman
The talents of German Jewish-born
Catholicism and married a Spaniard
composer Jacques Offenbach (1819-
named Herminie de Alcain.
1880) are combined with those of bass-
baritone Richard Bernstein and director Offenbach made the French capital his
base until his death in 1880.
Bernard Uzan in an opera being per-
Hoffman was the last of almost 100
formed for the first time by MOT
stage works created by Offenbach,
The Tales of Hoffman — inspired by
who died three months before it was
the fantasies of author E.T.A.
to be debuted in 1881.
Hoffman, creator of The
Composer Ernest Guiraud
Nutcracker — is the roman-
— who'd taken on a similar
tic story of a tortured poet's
challenge with Carmen after
descent into near madness
the death of composer
because of his obsession for
Georges Bizet — put the
three lost loves. Yet it features
finishing touches on Tales,
several beautiful melodies,
making extensive cuts. The
including the famous
input of various opera
"Barcarolle," which appeared
impresarios and some lesser-
as a theme throughout the
known composers have
film Life Is Beautiful.
Bass-baritone
Hoffman himself is the
Richard Bernstein resulted in several final ver-
central character in three of
returns to MOT sions of the opera.
MOT is staging a combina-
his own tales, surrounded by
tion
of
several
of these versions.
his bizarre creations: a mad scientist, a
Bernstein, a native New Yorker who
mechanical doll, an evil doctor and a
grew up loving pop music and is now
seductive courtesan.
based in California, will perform on
Offenbach's father was a Jewish can-
June 2, 6 and 9 in the roles of the four
tor and music teacher from the
villains — "Lindorf," "Coppelius,"
German town of Offenbach-on-Main,
whose name was Isaac Judah Eberst. He "Dr. Miracle" and "Dappertutto." He
is well known for performing the title
became known as "Der Offenbacher"
character
in MOT's 1998 production
when he settled in Cologne.
of The Marriage of Figaro.
His son Jacques (originally named
Uzan, a native of Morocco and artis-
Jacob Levy Eberst) was born in 1819 in
tic director of L'Opera de Montreal, is
Cologne a year after the family moved
the second Jewish director of the spring
there and his father had become cantor
season. Harry Silverstein, associate
of the local synagogue. Young Jacques
music professor at Chicago's DePaul
adopted the name of his father's
University, handled La Traviata.
German hometown, when, at age 14,
he moved to Paris to study the cello.
- Both he and his violinist brother
MOT presents The Tales of
Julius were trained at the Paris
Hoffman at the Detroit Opera
Conservatoire. Jacques earned his liv-
House. Performance times are 8
ing playing the cello in the orchestra
p.m. Saturdays and 2 p.m.
of the Opera Comique, and in 1850
Sundays, June 2-3, 9-10; 8 p.m.
became the director of the Theatre
Wednesday, June 6; and 8 p.m.
Francais.
Friday, June 8. $18-$98. (313)
Tales ofHoffman was Offenbach's first
237-7464 or (248) 645-6666.
successful serious opera after a career of
writing light and satirical operettas called

BILL CARROLL

IV

❑

FAMILY DINING

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5/25
2001

76

Expires 6/7/01

22921 NORTHWESTERN Hwv.

(Corner of 12 Mile Rd.)

Southfield • C2483 35E1-2393