Palm Beach Daily News, p. A8, Sunday, March 13, 1988
By Juliette de Marcellus, Daily News Music Critic

Palm Beach Opera has ended its season with a bustling, joyous production of Offenbach's bizarre masterpiece, The Tales of Hoffmann.  This offering had many points of excellence, some rough edges and enthusiastic input from experienced professionals and amateurs alike.

In fact, as the year closes, it is worth pointing out that the company's increasing standard of performance and growth has been due to the quality of the local supportive aspects of the company, as much as it is because of the leading talents brought in to take the major roles.

It was the supporting conprimario performers and minor players who made this big complex work possible, however, and it is worth noting how many are talents developed locally.

Among these are Dean Peterson, who is now with New York City Opera, but who has been emerging in local productions here for some years, and Drexel Hallaway, who lives in the Palm Beaches.

Both baritones took important parts, Peterson, the double roles of Schlemil in the Venice scene and Antonia's father in the third act.  Hallaway sang the pivotal role of Spalanzani in Act I.  This part requires center stage acting, clarity of diction, as well as a carrying voice.  He was excellent, scoring high in quality of voice with exceptional pronunciation of his difficult French phrases, as well as stage presence, in the role of the scheming swindler -- creator of the doll Olympia.