DVD + Blu-Ray:
Les Contes d’Hoffmann

Mariame Clément’s production at Salzburg Festival sees Benjamin Bernheim in the main role: “Bernheim…is the Hoffmann of the hour” (Frankfurter Rundschau)

Offenbach goes Hollywood: Mariame Clément’s production of Les Contes d’Hoffmann transforms its titular character into a storyteller of a different kind. The different acts, which are based on short stories by E.T.A. Hoffmann, take the audience on a journey through the world of cinema, from a 70s sci-fi flick over a costume drama to a feverish experimental sequence. The three love interests Olympia, Antonia and Giulietta are portrayed by American soprano Kathryn Lewek, who “impresses with brilliantly assertive coloratura, melting cantilenas and pulsating drama” (Drehpunktkultur).

At the centre of this tragic tale of unrequited love is Hoffmann himself, stepping into the role of a script writer and film director in this production. The incredibly charismatic Benjamin Bernheim “splendidly celebrates the invasive tragedy of his character. Sound, expression and presence could not be better combined” (Der Standard). Kate Lindsey, who portrays the muse disguised as Hoffmann’s friend Niklausse is a joy to watch and listen to as she “absorbs Clément's energy of ideas and gilds her vocal tour de force with scenic exuberance” (Der Standard). An opera evening that spans the emotional spectrum from hilarious comedy to deeply felt heartbreak.“Pure slapstick” (Der Standard) “Benjamin Bernheim…is the Hoffmann of the hour” (Frankfurter Rundschau) “Kathryn Lewek’s Olympia was an immediate showstopper” (Salzburger Nachrichten)

Original title Les Contes d’Hoffmann
Genre Opera
Composer Jacques Offenbach
Conductor Marc Minkowski
Orchestra / Band Wiener Philharmoniker
Soloist Benjamin Bernheim, Kathryn Lewek, Christian Van Horn, Kate Lindsey
Choir Konzertvereinigung Wiener Staatsopernchor
Stage Director Mariame Clément
Recording location Salzburg Festival, 2024
Duration 182 mins
Production Company A co-production of ORF, Unitel, WDR in cooperation with ARTE, Wiener Philharmoniker and Salzburg Festival