Seiji Ozawa, Orchestre National de France - Jacques Offenbach: The Tales of Hoffmann (1989)

This DG recording is very fine in voice and audio quality. Per the enclosed booklet, it is based to the (somewhat controversial) edition of the opera by Fritz Oeser published in 1977 (Cambreling had made a "straight" recording of that same edition the year before). However, Ozawa & Co. here opt to return several inauthentic (but, very good, not to be missed) items which Oeser had cut, and in turn cuts many authentic (but of dubious quality -- read "boring") items which Oeser had added in. The result in a fairly good amalgam which resembles a traditional, familiar Hoffman, with enough changes and additions made which actually improve the overall quality of the work. One gets the 3 female leads in their correct order: Olympia - Antonia - Giulietta, and all sung Edita Gruberova (the down side, the fourth female, Stella, had gone missing). Here, at the end of the Venice Act, is the traditional ending where Giuletta sails away into the night, instead of the better ending, where she accidentally poisons herself ("Ah! Giulietta, maladroite!" -- even the Bonynge gets that one right). These are my objections. But, this recording does end with the correct magnificent number sung by the Muse and chorus, and with several other authentic added in, this one becomes a winner. I could only give this one 4 stars because of my quibbles, but I am going with 5 due high musical standards.

You are not going to get a complete or authentic recording of this opera anyway, though you will find there is an increasing amount of music offered. There is no "authentic" version because Offenbach died before completing it. He did leave behind a lot of manuscripts which various musical scholars have been sifting through over the years (Antonio de Almeida, Oeser, Michael Kaye, et.al.), and modern editions of the score have resulted in "Hoffmann" growing to an immense length, with several numbers existing in different settings. Those looking for the most music they can find should seek out the Kent Nagano recording on Erato. A slightly earlier one conducted by Jeffrey Tate on Philips also offers an expanded version, but Nagano had access to even more material. For those just wishing for a good musical version, this Ozawa is in the running, as is a more traditional job made in 1972 conducted by Rudel, with Beverly Sills. The tops in musical performance will probably remain that on Decca featuring Placido Domingo and Joan Sutherland, conducted by Richard Bonynge -- the score used on that one is highly compelling but eclectic, excellent with a number of needed corrections; but is still about as inauthentic and corrupt as you can get.