Drag queens, doppelgängers, and one man's descent into his own psyche—this ain't your grandma's opera.
Bregenzs Tales of Hoffmann is different from everything you saw before. The New York Times praised the thoughtfulness and creativity of Stefan Herheims new production, devised by the director as a search for ones own self in a sparkling drag show. A shining-toned (NYT) Hoffmann is embodied by tenor Daniel Johansson in the title role. He is supported by a fantastic cast: Rachel Frenkel is positively ideal as Muse and Niklausse (Kurier), Kerstin Avemo as Olympia is endowed with brilliant, cheekily extemporized coloraturas (Neue Zürcher Zeitung), Michael Volle sings the parts of Lindorf, Coppelius, Dr. Miracle and Dappertutto, the works four villains, with warmth and intensity (NYT) and Mandy Fredrich is a finelyphrased Antonia (Kurier).
Direction
Herheim turns opera house into Hoffmann's fractured psyche.
Production
One singer plays four villains—visual identity collapse.
Acting
Michael Volle's quadruple villain tour de force.
Director
Stefan Herheim
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Bregenz Festival's lake stage normally hosts spectacle—Herheim subverted this with intimate psychological chamber drama.
Offenbach died before completing Hoffmann; Herheim's production treats the opera's fragmentary nature as feature, not bug—mirroring Hoffmann's shattered identity.
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