Les contes d'Hoffmann at Bremen Musikfest now stars tenor Leonardo Capalbo

Leonardo Capalbo will make a previously unscheduled debut at the Bremen Musikfest as the title character in Les contes d’Hoffmann on September 1. Maestro Marc Minkowski leads his ensemble, Les Musiciens du Louvre, in Offenbach's operatic fantasy based on the life and stories of German writer, E. T. A. Hoffmann. Soprano Jessica Pratt co-stars as the four heroines in this Jean-Christophe Keck critical edition of the celebrated score.  

Capalbo has previously sung Hoffmann at L’Opéra de Lyon and in Tokyo with Maestro Kazushi Ono and at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden with Maestro Evelino Pidò where he was noted for “a beautifully honeyed, lyric sound” (Mark Pullinger, BeckmessersQuill). 

Heoric French roles have been a staple of Capalbo's repertoire. Earlier this summer, he thrilled audiences in another tour-de-force French role as the title character of Massenet’s Le Cid. His exceptional ability to tame Massenet’s towering score earned high praise from critics as well.

Rupert Christiansen of The Telegraph wrote “he sings with unstinting heroic grandeur” and noted “his clean, bright, firm timbre is very well suited to this school of music.” 

Capalbo continues to add heroic French roles to his repertoire. Future seasons will see his debuts as Don Carlos and Werther, as well as  reprisals of Don José.