Baltimore Opera Company

Study Guide

Les Contes d'Hoffmann
The Tales of Hoffmann

Artist's Perspective: Olympia

Valeria Esposito

Olympia is a role I very much enjoy performing. It is short-only a single aria-and doesn't provide a chance for the character development of the other roles I've played. However, the vocal acrobatics and theatrical tricks required are condensed into such a small amount of time that the role is always very impressive.

When the Opera Bastille offered me my first chance to play Olympia, I only had a month to prepare. I immediately set out to reread Hoffmann's stories. Whenever I encounter a new role, I always familiarize myself with the original literary source, because technical and dramatic reasons often require the librettist to discard much of the detail present in the original version.

In this aria, I always look for ways to make use of the highest extension of the human voice, using notes as high as F or G to aid in portraying the automatism of the character. While this was a challenge, though, my real concern lay in creating the gestures and physical characterization of the doll. Through a wonderful coincidence, I was working at the time in Catania with the dancer-choreographer Adele Angela Lojodice, who played the role of the mechanical doll in Federico Fellini's film "Il Casanova," and she agreed to let me study and practice the role with her.

Of course, I have to adjust and adapt my interpretation of the character to each production, and I always find something different. The great difficulty of this role lies in reconciling the vocal difficulties with the mime and dancing, which take breath and concentration. However, the satisfaction that this role provides is wonderful compensation for the hard work. I love Les Contes d'Hoffmann, and since sometimes Olympia, Antonia, and Giulietta are performed by the same soprano, I would like someday to play all three roles. This would be a great dramatic opportunity, and I await my full maturity as an artist to realize this dream.

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