This season Pacific Northwest Opera presents two of the most famous and beloved melodies in the opera world: the Barcarolle from the Tales of Hoffmann and “Nessun Dorma” from Turandot. Both operas are based on collections of fantastical tales and both were the final operas of prolific composers, neither of whom lived to see their operas produced French composer, Jacques Offenbach, noted more for his sparkling operettas, based The Tales of Hoffman on three fantastical stories (“tales”) by German Romantic poet E.T.A. Hoffmann, author of “The Nutcracker”. Offenbach’s music, both intensely witty and intensely dramatic, is the perfect vehicle to present the Romantic, richly imaginative world of the storyteller E.T.A. Hoffmann, combining fantasy, gravity and comedy. Sung in French with English supertitles. Free pre-performance lecture 45 minutes prior to the show. Learn about the performance, history, costumes, and more.