Offenbach: Les Contes d'Hoffmann - Staatsoper Hamburg (2021) [Blu-ray]

Kent Nagano leads the Hamburg Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus in this production of Jacques Offenbach's opera. The cast includes Benjamin Bernheim as the poet Hoffmann and Olga Peretyatko as his former lovers, Olympia, Antonia and Giulietta.

Recording: September 22 2021 - Staatsoper Hamburg

Poet E.T.A. Hoffmann (200th anniversary of death in 2022) as the protagonist of his own fantastic tales: In his encounter with three women - Olympia, Antonia and Giulietta - he searches in vain for love and for himself. Will he draw strength for art from his failure in life? Or will he fail in himself, drown in alcohol? Like in a kaleidoscope appear ever-new constellations and shimmering colours of German romanticism and French esprit.

Stage director Daniele Finzi Pasca brings an enchanting, fairy-tale-like spectacle to the stage with all the colourful means of theatrical magic. French star tenor Benjamin Bernheim shines in his role debut of Hoffmann: "Benjamin Bernheim's art of orchestrating timbre will continue to cause emotional turmoil for days to come for those who were able to experience this operatic bliss" (Süddeutsche Zeitung).

Benjamin Bernheim is tenor perfection. ... Such a reflective and capable singer is not to be found anywhere else on this earth at present. (Süddeutsche Zeitung)

A tenor star lesson for the history books (Concerti)

Fairytale theatre magic with a great Benjamin Bernheim in the leading role (Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung)