Offenbach: Les Contes D'Hoffmann (Salzburg Festival, 2024, Directed by: Clément)

Offenbach becomes Hollywood: Mariame Clément’s production of Les Contes d'Hoffmann transforms its title character into a storyteller of a different kind. The various acts, based on short stories by E.T.A. Hoffmann, take the audience on a journey through the world of cinema, from a 1970s science-fiction film to a costume drama and a feverish experimental sequence. The three beloveds Olympia, Antonia and Giulietta are portrayed by American soprano Kathryn Lewek, who “impresses with brilliantly penetrating coloratura, melting cantilenas and pulsating drama” (Drehpunktkultur). At the heart of this tragic story of unrequited love is Hoffmann himself, who in this production takes on the role of a screenwriter and film director. The incredibly charismatic Benjamin Bernheim “celebrates the poignant tragedy of his character magnificently. Sound, expression and presence could not be better combined” (Der Standard). Kate Lindsey, who plays the Muse disguised as Hoffmann’s friend Niklausse, is a joy to watch and listen to as she “absorbs Clément’s creative energy and gilds her vocal brilliance with theatrical exuberance” (Der Standard). An evening at the opera that spans the emotional spectrum from hilarious comedy to profound heartbreak.