THE TALES OF HOFFMANN

Ballet and opera 1951 “Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger create a phantasmagoric marriage of cinema and opera in this one-of-a-kind take on a classic story. In Jacques Offenbach’s fantasy opera The Tales of Hoffman, a poet dreams of three women––a mechanical performing doll, a bejeweled siren, and the consumptive daughter of a famous composer––all of whom break his heart in different ways. Powell and Pressburger’s feverishly romantic adaptation is a feast of music, dance, and visual effects, and one of the most exhilarating opera films ever produced.” London Films. Moira Shearer, Sir Thomas Beecham with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.