Thom Hoffman & Storioni trio

Projects
Written By Leontien van der Vliet

A new chamber music/theatre production, directed by Thom Hoffman, to mark the 200th anniversary of Schubert’s death in 2028

The Schubert Mysteries will be a performance in which music and storytelling reinforce one another: accessible and captivating, yet with the artistic depth one would expect from these creators.

In recent years, Hoffman has combined his talents as actor, writer and director with classical music. Together with the Storioni Trio, he created and directed three acclaimed musical theatre productions:

  • Beethoven – Who Are You? — a narrative concert exploring the life, character and music of Ludwig van Beethoven. Hoffman was responsible for the text, acting and direction (2024).

  • Vleugels (Wings) — a classical music theatre production about the lives and love of Robert and Clara Schumann, created in 2022 by Thom Hoffman, and peformed by him together with actress Saskia Temmink and the Storioni Trio.

  • These are the Names - a book of Tommy Wieringa. The book is narrated by the actor Thom Hoffman, and the musicians of the Storioni Trio perform the show entirely in the dark. (first performance at the Storioni Festival 2019)

Contact:
E: leontien.vandervliet@interartists.nl
T: +31 6 52468707

 

Following their acclaimed collaborations exploring the worlds of Beethoven and Clara & Robert Schumann, the internationally celebrated Storioni Trio and actor and historian Thom Hoffman return in 2028 to delve once more into the mysteries of music history. This time, their subject is Franz Schubert – a composer whose tragically short life and extraordinary musical legacy continue to fascinate and intrigue us.

And when it comes to mysteries, who better to turn to than Sherlock Holmes? Few people know that the famous detective was also a first-rate violinist. With his Stradivarius in hand, Holmes famously solved many a murder mystery – and it was often while playing that his extraordinary mind began to connect the dots and bring the pieces of the puzzle together.

For this production, Thom Hoffman steps into the role of an eccentric musical detective, taking inspiration from Holmes as he joins forces with the Storioni Trio to investigate the enigmas surrounding Schubert’s life: his loves and admirers, his profound and almost obsessive fascination with Beethoven, and, ultimately, the circumstances of his untimely death.

At the heart of the investigation is Schubert’s music, with the Storioni Trio performing some of his most sublime and deeply affecting works.

About Thom Hoffman

Thom Hoffman is best known as a film and television actor. Since making his debut in Theo van Gogh’s Luger (1981), he has appeared in more than 50 films and television productions in the Netherlands and abroad, working with acclaimed directors including Paul Verhoeven, Lars von Trier, Sally Potter, Adriaan Ditvoorst and Ian Kerkhof.
His performance as Frits van Egters in The Evenings (De Avonden, 1989) earned him a Golden Calf and the award for Best Young European Actor at the Stars de Demain Film Festival in Geneva.

From 1992 onwards, Hoffman expanded his work into photography and documentary filmmaking. His photographs have appeared in numerous newspapers and magazines, including NRC, Nieuwe Revu and Volkskrant Magazine. He also created documentary photography projects for the National Museum of Ethnology in Leiden, including With Tintin to Tibet and With Tintin to the Incas. His acclaimed series The Angels of Bantar Gebang, portraying the inhabitants of Indonesia’s largest landfill, was followed by a documentary for Dutch television.

As a director, Hoffman made De Domeinen Ditvoorst, which won a Golden Calf in 1992 as well as a silver medal at the Chicago International Film Festival, and Dennis Hopper: The Decisive Moments (2004), about the turbulent life and remarkable comeback of the legendary Hollywood actor.

Hoffman has also worked extensively in theatre and musical theatre, including the title role in Max Havelaar, and the roles of Professor Higgins in My Fair Lady and in Black Book (Zwartboek), marking a renewed collaboration with Paul Verhoeven.

In recent years, Hoffman has combined his talents as actor, writer and director with classical music. Together with the Storioni Trio, he created and directed two acclaimed musical theatre productions:
Beethoven – Who Are You? — a narrative concert exploring the life, character and music of Ludwig van Beethoven. Hoffman is responsible for the text, acting and direction.
Vleugels (Wings) — a musical theatre production about the lives and love of Robert and Clara Schumann, created with actress Saskia Temmink and the Storioni Trio.

The Schubert Mysteries - Flyer

Period and details

  • Première: January 2028

  • Performance period: January to December 2028

  • Lenght: 70 minutes

  • Cast:‍ ‍

    • script and acting: Thom Hoffman

    • music performed by Storioni Trio: Bart van de Roer - piano, Wouter Vossen - violin, Marc Vossen - cello

    • light and technique: tbd

‍ ‍

Reviews

“An hour and a half of magnificent music and fascinating life stories”
— NRC
“Stylistically deeply immersed in the music, with an inspired flair”
— Grammophone
“This is Beethoven at his finest: festive, playful and challenging”
— Sunday Times
“This approach resulted in elegant and striking lyrical performances”
— The Strad
“Geradezu himmlischer Musik – Bravo-Rufe und getrampel”
— Süddeutsche Zeitung
“Thom Hoffman is a born storyteller”
— Parool
Leontien van der Vliet
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