The novel “The Serapion Brothers” by the famous German romantic writer E.T.A. Hoffmann (1776–1822) is a cycle of narratives united by the framing story of young writers - the Serapion brothers. Incredible events, vampires, necromancers, mysterious beauties come to life on the pages of a book that has not been completely published in Russian translation for more than 70 years.

The venerable ruler of the chancellery Tusman, an old bachelor, firmly decided that it was time for him to marry the young and pretty Albertina. However, both the usurer baron and the young artist are wooing her hand...But their mutual acquaintance, the mysterious warlock, goldsmith Leonhard, will help the bride make the right choice in the way of Shakespeare’s “The Merchant of Venice.”