Please view our postcard featuring our 2008 show, Hansel & Gretel.
Book tour dates early!
Phone: 309-298-1618
January 28 - February 15, 2008
Opera Guide:
Fees:
Stage Director: Rebecca Kreider
Music Direction/Pianist : Ben Harris
Set Design: Ali Shubert
Costume Design: Bonnie Jacobs
Teachers' Guide: Performance Educational Materials
Hansel & Gretel
In a Victorian living room an opera was born…an opera about a brother and sister written by a brother and sister. The brother was a famous German composer, Engelbert Humperdinck. His sister, Adelheid, convinced her brother to set this story to music as a Christmas entertainment for her children. Later, brother and sister decided to turn this modest home project into a full-scale opera. Hansel & Gretel, based on the Grimms’ fairy tale, premiered in December of 1893. It was an instant success and remains an everlasting masterpiece enjoyed by adults and children all over the world.
The WIU Music School’s Opera-On-Wheels touring version of Hansel & Gretel is approximately 50 minutes in length and is appropriate for K-6th grade students. It is performed with full costume and set by WIU graduate and undergraduate vocal students.
Schools need to supply a piano in the performance space.Synopsis
Once upon a time a poor broom-maker and his wife lived in a cottage with their son, Hansel, and daughter, Gretel. When our story opens, Hansel and Gretel are working in the house. But work is tiresome, especially when empty stomachs are yearning for goodies. The two get caught up in a game of dance and play when suddenly their mother returns home, weary from her day of work. She scolds them for playing while they should be working and, in the midst of scolding, she accidently spills the only pitcher of milk they have left. Furious, Mother sends the children out to pick strawberries in the woods. In the distance, Mother hears the happy voice of her husband returning home. Father shows Mother all the food he has brought to the family. While celebrating their good fortune, Mother explains why Hansel and Gretel were punished and sent out to find strawberries. Father is horrified, and tells her about the Witch in the woods who bakes children into gingerbread. They both rush off to find Hansel and Gretel.
Hansel and Gretel are enjoying their walk in the woods, making garlands of flowers and answering the call of the cuckoo bird in the tree. Darkness falls, and the children realize that they are lost. Their fears grow as spooky shadows and sounds in the dark forest multiply. Suddenly a magical figure appears. It is the Sandman who comes to scatter magic sand in the children's eyes putting them to sleep. When Hansel and Gretel awake they discover a beautiful cottage made entirely of cake and candy. As they begin to sample the cake from the house, they hear a voice from inside the house. A Witch appears and attempts to lure the children into her cottage. When she is unsuccessful, she angrily casts a spell on the children. The Witch prepares to cook the children into gingerbread in her oven, when Hansel and Gretel sneak up behind her and push her into the oven. Hansel and Gretel are astounded to see that the gingerbread cookies surrounding the house have magically transformed back into children. Mother and Father appear and they all give thanks for a safe and happy reunion.