Les Contes dHoffmann (1988)

Otto Schenks brilliant production captures both the dark romanticism of the story as well as its fairytale magic It is a superb setting for Neil Shicoffs vivid portrayal of the tortured poet Hoffmann as he recounts the loves of his life and the way he has been foiled by his nemesisa marvelous James Morris in a tourdeforce performance of the operas four villains Gwendolyn Bradley is the doll Olympia Tatiana Troyanos sings the courtesan Giulietta and Roberta Alexander portrays the innocent Antonia