Kate Aldrich, So Young Park and Liv Redpath join Diana Damrau in the Cast of THE TALES OF HOFFMANN

LA Opera has announced new casting details for the company's production of The Tales of Hoffmann, which stars tenor Vittorio Grigolo and opens on March 25.

German soprano Diana Damrau, who was previously announced to make her LA Opera debut as all four of the opera's heroines (Olympia, Giulietta, Antonia and Stella), will now make her debut singing the last two roles, as aspiring singer Antonia and as prima donna Stella. In recent months, Ms. Damrau has suffered from bronchitis, forcing her to cancel several appearances. Since she has still not completely recovered, she has decided that the rare and formidable task of performing all four Hoffmann roles would be too demanding.

The role of mechanical doll Olympia will now be shared by two sopranos. So Young Park, an alumna of LA Opera's Domingo-Colburn-Stein Young Artist Program whose appearances with the company include Blonde in The Abduction from the Seraglio earlier this year, will sing the role of Olympia on March 25, 30, April 2 and 15. Liv Redpath, a current member of the Domingo-Colburn-Stein Young Artist Program, will appear as Olympia on April 6 and 9.

The role of Venetian courtesan Giulietta will be performed by mezzo-soprano Kate Aldrich. A 2002 Operalia winner, she made her LA Opera debut that same year as Fenena in Nabucco. She last appeared with LA Opera as Idamante in Idomeneo in 2004. Ms. Aldrich began the current season as Giulietta in The Tales of Hoffmann with the Opéra National de Paris, followed by the title role in Carmen in Dresden, Munich and Tokyo, with upcoming performances as Carmen in Naples.

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