Jacques Offenbach's posthumous 1881 opera The Tales of Hoffmann makes a stunning return to Cincinnati Opera as the final production of its 2006 Summer Festival.

The opera was French composer Offenbach's only full-length endeavor, but it is undoubtedly a musical and theatrical masterpiece. Stirring arias and emotive lyric ballads are hallmarks of the work, which manages a careful balance between charming absurdity and thought-provoking surrealism through its three romantic acts, each of which follows a different love story in the life of a tormented poet, a character whose romances are based in the stories of real-life German author E.T.A. Hoffmann.

Thematically, Tales of Hoffmann wrestles with the paradox that love is essential to the creation of great genius, just as the loss of love is essential to the continuation and growth of that genius. The true artist, it contends, must choose between love and art, for the two cannot flourish simultaneously.

The pivotal question that begins any production of Hoffmann is which edition to use. Since Offenbach died before his opera was complete (composer Ernest Guiraud finished the orchestration for performance), it has never been entirely certain exactly how the opera was intended for performance. Over the years, various editors have strived to bring it as close as possible to the original composer's intentions. The greatest difference is in the order of the acts -- since it follows the three loves of the main character, it is essential to the dramatic action that the acts create a logical and believable arc for the character.

First is Hoffmann's naíve romance with Olympia (remarkably sung in this production by American soprano Sarah Coburn). The young poet sees Olympia only through the rose-colored glasses of love and is shattered when she is revealed to be nothing more than an empty mechanical doll.

Our next glimpse into the character's history (according to the traditional order of performance) brings us a slightly older and wiser Hoffmann, where we see the tragic end of his romance with Antonia (Canadian-born soprano Nathalie Paulin), his heart's true, passionate love who dies at the age of 20.

Finally, there is his base affair with the dangerously desirable courtesan Giulietta (deliciously sung by celebrated mezzo-soprano Milena Kitic in her Cincinnati Opera debut). For Hoffmann's dramatic journey to have the most profound meaning, it is essential that the Giulietta act be performed last, since Hoffmann comes to this affair jaded and motivated by lust rather than the more pure love of his youth. It is this love affair that brings him to his knees morally and spiritually, with the greatest threat of stealing his soul in the end. Not only is this order the dramatically logical progression; it is also the order alluded to throughout the libretto. Whenever there are references to Hoffmann's three great loves, they are presented in the order of Olympia/Antonia/Giulietta.

A trend of the latter half of the 20th century, however, has been to order the acts with Antonia last. To its detriment, this was the edition chosen by Cincinnati Opera. It simply does not make good dramatic sense to place the love stories in this order. The opera's poignancy would have been far better served (as, I believe, would have the composer's clear intent), had the Giulietta act been placed last.

Regardless of the order in which the acts are performed, this production is visually and musically stunning, which more than makes up for the choice in edition. Marie-Theresa Cramer's gorgeous costuming and Robert A. Dahlstrom's dynamic sets give this production remarkable visual appeal, a real delight to the senses.

There were many outstanding performances in this production, but perhaps most notable was Coburn, who brought the house to a full minute of applause mid-act following her astonishing delivery of Olympia's extraordinarily demanding aria. (Incidentally, Coburn's remarkable performance was all the audience could be heard talking about during the evening's first intermission.) As Hoffmann's muse and sidekick, famed Romanian mezzo-soprano Ruxandra Donose lived up to her reputation. Her vocal performance was emotive and unwavering, and her stage presence was electric.

American tenor Vinson Cole gave an apt performance in the opera's title role. There is no doubt his voice is up to the lyric challenges Hoffmann presents, but Cole's characterization of the tormented, alcoholic poet seemed perhaps a bit lackluster in contrast to the vibrant Donose, the sparkling Coburn and the chilling villainy of Parisian baritone Phillipe Rouillon, who sings the opera's four villains with compellingly sinister menace. Also of note is tenor Steven Cole, who proves that there are, in fact, no small parts. He sings a wide range of minor characters to a delightful, nearly slapstick, comic effect.

Regardless of which edition is chosen, The Tales of Hoffmann is a delightful, surrealistic look into the perils of love and love's conflicting relationship to art. The score is stirring, the arias thrilling and the lyric ballads compelling. much to its credit, this production does not disappoint.