The Tales of Hoffmann October 12, 2007

Jacques Offenbach's 'The Tales of Hoffmann' is an ambitious work about the forces of mysticism versus enlightenment. Based on the writings of the Romantic author E.T.A. Hoffmann, it tells the story of a young poet in a tavern with friends recounting stories of his three great loves - Olympia, Antonia and Giuletta - and the evil geniuses who thwart his amorous intentions. Later, drunk and despairing, Hoffmann is rescued by The Muse of Poetry, who nurtures and revives his romantic soul.