Episode Details

The new Pittsburgh Opera company, SERIO, is presenting "The Tales of Hoffmann" in August! Anna Singer talks with founder Louisa Jonason, director Rebecka Kerr, and soprano Jennifer Coffman, about their upcoming production. The "Tales of Hoffmann" follows a young poet, Hoffmann, and his three disastrous love affairs. Jennifer plays the dual role of the Muse and Nicklausse, who try to guide Hoffmann towards his true love, art. Rebecka talks about the themes of artistic vs romantic love, and how to maintain the opera's fairy tale quality. The team also shares that the score will be performed by two grand pianos instead of a full orchestra, which is fitting for the intimate space at the Pittsburgh Music Academy. They highlight tenor William Andrews, who plays Hoffmann. The team previously performed Hoffmann at Mercyhurst University, making this a small reunion! You can see SERIO's "Tales of Hoffmann" from August 1st to 3rd, and August 8th to 10th at the Pittsburgh Music Academy in Squirrel Hill. Visit http://www.seriowithus.com/ to learn more and find tickets! Thanks for tuning in to WQED's Voice of the Arts, Pittsburgh's trusted source for arts and culture in our region. Whether you're passionate about classical music, film, theater, opera, or local music, we’re here to bring you closer to the heart of Pittsburgh's local arts scene. Don’t miss our musician interviews, the latest local music news, and performing arts insights from across the Southwestern Pennsylvania region.  Subscribe and follow to stay connected with the vibrant voices shaping Pittsburgh’s creative community. Visit https://www.wqed.org/ to see what else WQED is doing in our community. Until next time, keep supporting the arts and keep listening to Voice of the Arts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.