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 sci-fi flick to a costume drama and a feverish experimental sequence. The three lovers Olympia, Antonia and Giulietta are embodied by the American soprano Kathryn Lewek, who "impresses with brilliantly assertive coloraturas, melting cantilenas and pulsating drama" (Drehpunktkultur). At the center of this tragic story of unrequited love is Hoffmann himself, who slips into the role of a screenwriter and film director in this production. The incredibly charismatic Benjamin Bernheim "celebrates the haunting tragedy of his character in a magnificent way. Sound, expression and presence could not be better combined" (Der Standard). Kate Lindsey, who embodies the Muse disguised as Hoffmann's friend Niklausse, is a joy to watch and listen to as she "absorbs Clement's energy of ideas and gilds her vocal brilliance with scenic exuberance" (Der Standard). An evening of opera that covers the emotional spectrum from hilarious comedy to deep heartbreak.