Film / operafilm

Les contes d'Hoffmann
The tales of Hoffmann
Hoffmanss Erzählungen


Reviews (16)


MusicWeb international

2004 January

By

By

Arthur Baker

2004 January

"Offenbachs last, unfinished, work is a masterpiece of romantic fantasy based upon stories of E. T. A. Hoffmann. This DVD is of a recording produced by BBC Television of the late John Schlesinger's magnificent production for Covent Garden in the early Eighties ... Vocally this performance is outstanding, led by Placido Domingo in his prime ... Overall this is a very enjoyable performance of a fascinating opera with marvellous singing and acting which is let down by mediocre colour and sound recording".


Politiken

d. 17. Nov. 2005

By

By

Jan Jacoby

d. 17. Nov. 2005

"Velspillet teater med velsyngende om ikke blændende aktører i centrum ... Alt i alt en fængslende og tilfredsstillende forestilling, men med en alvorlig klods om benet: Den musikalske ledelse er fattig på karakter, klarhed og vitalitet".


Politiken

d. 26. June 2007

By

By

Thomas Michelsen

d. 26. June 2007


Diapason

2016 octobre

By

By

François Laurent

2016 octobre


BBC music magazine

2016 August

By

By

George Hall (musikanmelder)

2016 August

"Offenbach's final work is notoriously tricky to stage ... it contains three separate narratives with different settings and characters ... Frankly, it's not easy either to follow the action or to see what Herheim is attempting to convey. The singing has more positive qualities: Daniel Johansson is a strong yet lyrical Hoffmann, Michael Volle the solid exponent of the four villains ... Debus conducts a lively account. But taken as a whole this is not a Hoffmann to recommend".


Fono Forum

2005 Januar

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By

Manuel Brug

2005 Januar

"Ein Getriebener, zwischen Genie und Wahn, von Schicoff schonungslos in jeder nuance ausgekostet. Allein das macht die DVD als neuerliches Pariser Premium-Produkt schon so wertvoll".


BBC music magazine

2014 June

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By

Christopher Cook (musikanmelder)

2014 June

"The production belongs to Laurent Naouri who finds something truly distinctive in each of his portraits ... Dessay is remarkable as Antonia ... If Michael Spyres's Hoffmann isn't quite the centre of his own tales envertheless he sounds a properly French tenor. Stephane Denève in the pit keeps the tension rising".


Diapason

2014 fevrier

By

By

François Laurent

2014 fevrier


Fono Forum

2016 Juli

By

By

Manuel Brug

2016 Juli

"Er baut das Unvollendete des Werks lustvoll um und aus ... unter der schönen Stabführung von Johannes Debus".


The gramophone

2016 June

By

By

Tim Ashley

2016 June

"Friedrich and Frenkel are nicely stylish. Debus can be very polished: playing and choral singing are both excellent".


BBC music magazine

2009 November

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By

Christopher Cook (musikanmelder)

2009 November

"Olivier Py's production ... takes its visual cues from Eiffel's amazing tower and the arrival of electric lighting ... There are too many shots of penumbral figures seen through metal struts ans grids ... Marc Laho is a solid Hoffmann and Stella Doufexis is a touching Muse/Nicklauss, if a little stretched in the upper register. The best of the heroines is Patricia Petibon's Olympia with a coloratura that defies gravity".

Vurdering (performance): 3/5.

Vurdering (picture & sound): 4/5.


International record review

2009 September

By

By

Robert Levine (musikanmelder)

2009 September

"Olivier Py treats us to Expressionism gone wild ... This present one should be seen, probably more than once; it it definitely brain food and musically very well served".


The gramophone

2015 October

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By

Tim Ashley

2015 October

"Musically it's mostly excellent ... Cutler is all vocal ease, elegance and passion. Von Otter's communicative and dramatic powers remain wonderfully persuasive ... Cambreling's hard-edged intensity won't be to everyone's tastes, though it suits Marthaler's moody theatrics to perfection. An acquired taste, but fascinating".


The gramophone

2014 May

By

By

Richard Lawrence

2014 May

"Pelly's production ... is straightforward: no gimmicks ... The women are all good ... If Michael Spyres doesn't have quite enough heft, his portrayal of the title-role, dishevelled or elegant, carries conviction. Laurent Naouri is outstanding as the villains. Stéphane Denève whips up the excitement where required".


Fono Forum

2014 April

By

By

Manuel Brug

2014 April

"Bei Laurent Pelly und Stéphane Denève ist die ganze Opernwelt halbdunkel, hofmannesk, kafkaesk ... Hoffmann, ein wenig angestrengt in der Höhe: Michael Spyres".