Basic HTML Version
55
ish imagination, their visages mix with Stella’s,
and Hoffman begins regaling everyone with
strange stories of his loves.
Act 2,
Olympia –
Hoffmann catches sight of a
beautiful girl, Olympia, in the window of the
house of Mr Spalanzani, a scientist, and in-
stantly falls in love with her. So as to get close
to Olympia, Hoffmann visits Mr Spalanzani,
feigning interest in his physics experiments and
inventions – he does not understand Spalan-
zani’s guileful references to the miracles of
physics and ignores Nicklausse, who knows the
truth about Olympia and sings a song about a
mechanical doll with artificial eyes.
Coppélius, a canny trader in optical and gaug-
ing devices, appears and offers Hoffmann his
wares. For three ducats, Hoffmann buys magic
glasses capable of changing his view of the
world. He puts the glasses on, sees Olympia’s
full beauty and cannot tear his eyes from her.
Coppélius and Spalanzani become embroiled
in an argument as to who owns Olympia and
who is entitled to the profit she generates.
Spalanzani offers compensation for Olympia,
to be paid out by a certain Jew, Elias; Coppélius
agrees and leaves.
Spalanzani is to introduce his talented and gor-
geous daughter to society. Olympia garners acco-
lades not only for her incredible beauty but also
for her splendid singing. After the guests have left
for dinner, Hoffmann remains alone with Olym-
pia. She replies to his ardent profession of love
with a laconic “yes, yes”, and Hoffmann is con-
vinced she has fallen in love with him.
Spalanzani has deceived Coppélius, as Elias the
Jew has gone bankrupt, and Coppélius returns
to take revenge. In the meantime, a ball is pre-
pared. At the ball, Hoffmann is dancing a waltz
with Olympia, when she suddenly, frantically
speeds up the tempo of the waltz – Hofmann
falls to the floor and breaks his magic glasses.
Spalanzani promptly stops Olympia and tries to
take her away, but Coppélius takes advantage
of the confusion and destroys Olympia. Only
then does Hoffmann realize he was in love with
an automaton…
Photo: Paphos Aphrodite Festival