Vacant Spaces

The Tales of Hoffman - National Opera Company (INBAL)

February 2021 •French

Opera in three acts, a prologue and an epilogue, by Jacques Offenbach (1819-1880), with a libretto in French by Jules Barbier (1825-1901), based on a work that Barbier himself and Michel Carré (1821-1872) had written based on stories by E.T.A. Hoffmann (1776-1822). Approximate duration: 2 h 45 min Recommended for those over 15 years old. The young poet Hoffmann, accompanied by Nicklausse, his alter ego and confidant, is in a tavern next to the theatre where Mozart's Don Giovanni is being performed. During the opera's intermission, some diners arrive at the bar who, upon seeing the poet, encourage him to sing and tell them the story of his famous love affairs. Hoffmann finally gives in and shares with them the stories of Olympia, Antonia and Giulietta. They, absorbed in the poet's stories, remain in the tavern, forgetting about the opera performance.

Maurice

March 2023 •French

Maurice plays a passive role in his life. He hides a truth that tries to get out, but when he opens his mouth, only silence comes out. Fed up with his inertia, Maurice tries to take control of his life.

Quando as Coisas se Desmancham

November 2018 •Portuguese

Mars

October 2022 •English

A teenager who has only ever wanted to live a normal existence experiences an extraordinary night that makes her reassess what truly matters.

The Exorcism of God

March 2022 •English

An American priest working in Mexico is considered a saint by many local parishioners. However, due to a botched exorcism, he carries a secret that’s eating him alive until he gets an opportunity to face his demon one final time.

Boys Like Us

January 2019 •English

A journey through identity and self-discovery.

30 segundos para morir

February 1981 •Spanish

Three brothers smuggle arms and drugs from Mexico into the US.

Hannie Caulder

November 1971 •English

Hannie enlists the aid of bounty hunter Tom Price to teach her how to be a gunfighter so she can hunt down the 3 men who killed her husband and raped her.

The Chalice of Sorrow

October 1916 •English

Isabel Clifford sits to be painted. Her artist is Marion Leslie, a man distracted by matters of the flesh. Not Isabel’s flesh but Lorelei’s, the same Lorelei who wows the corrupt police chief, Sarpina, with her virtuoso vocal performances. She is Mexico’s most celebrated opera diva, Marion’s fiancé, and Sarpina’s passion, yet she boils with petty suspicion over Marion’s friendship with Isabel.

The 3rd Voice

March 1960 •English

Marian Forbes has been having an affair with her boss and when he drops her for another woman. In an act of jealousy and greed she convinces an acquaintance to murder her former lover and then impersonate him just long enough to get their hands on a large sum of money.

Transit

April 2018 •German

In an attempt to flee Nazi-occupied France, Georg assumes the identity of a dead author but soon finds himself stuck in Marseilles, where he falls in love with Maria, a young woman searching for her missing husband.

The Lady Gambles

May 1949 •English

When Joan Boothe accompanies husband-reporter David to Las Vegas, she begins gambling to pass the time while he is doing a story. Encouraged by the casino manager, she gets hooked on gambling, to the point where she "borrows" David's expense money to pursue her addiction. This finally breaks up their marriage, but David continues trying to help her.

The Magdalene Sisters

August 2002 •English

Three young Irish women struggle to maintain their spirits while they endure dehumanizing abuse as inmates of a Magdalene Sisters Asylum.

The Holy Mountain

November 1973 •Spanish

The Alchemist assembles together a group of people from all walks of life to represent the planets in the solar system. The occult adept's intention is to put his recruits through strange mystical rites and divest them of their worldly baggage before embarking on a trip to Lotus Island. There they ascend the Holy Mountain to displace the immortal gods who secretly rule the universe.

¡Three Amigos!

December 1986 •English

A trio of unemployed silent film actors are mistaken for real heroes by a small Mexican village in search of someone to stop a malevolent bandit.

Ofrandā

October 2023 •English

Ina, an introverted 11-year-old immigrant, finds herself captivated by Petra, a new classmate coming from the same country as her. Faced with the newcomer’s indifference towards her, Ina embarks on a desperate quest for connection in a world oscillating between dream and reality.

The Wingwalker

October 2024 •Spanish

A young widower is deported as his daughter is scheduled for a heart transplant, this will lead him to orchestrate the boldest border crossing plan in history.

Every Moment of You

June 2025 •Spanish

Gilberto leaves his home on the last day of his father's life, travelling around the city in search of the places that were meaningful to him: his old house, the museum where he worked, and the streets of a very lively city. This escape becomes a reconstruction of the father, a journey through memory and a farewell.

Shine a Light

November 2016 •Spanish

Misterious luminous objects appear each night at San Andres beach.

The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada

November 2005 •English

When brash Texas border officer Mike Norton wrongfully kills and buries the friend and ranch hand of Pete Perkins, the latter is reminded of a promise he made to bury his friend, Melquiades Estrada, in his Mexican home town. He kidnaps Norton and exhumes Estrada's corpse, and the odd caravan sets out on horseback for Mexico.