Hänsel & Gretel by Humperdinck

An enchanting opera filled with refreshing melodies and colourful characters. A fairytale for young and old that combines the richness of a Wagnerian orchestra with the simplicity of folk songs. An exceptional collaboration with the National Circus School and the National Theatre School of Canada. Emerging artists, opera, and circus arts… it promises to be magical.

Synopsis: Two children, off picking strawberries, lose their way in the forest. Along the way, they come across the Dew Fairy, the Sandman, and a mouth-watering gingerbread house… not to mention a threatening cannibalistic witch.

Sung in German with English-French surtitles

Composer: Engelbert Humperdinck spent years conducting, writing musical criticism and teaching before making his mark as a composer of operas with Hänsel und Gretel. His greatest success, Hänsel & Gretel premiered in Weimar in 1893, conducted by a colleague who went on to become a friend, Richard Strauss. Inspired by the Brothers Grimm fairytale, the work has always been well loved by children, as well as by adults who appreciate its blend of folk and formal music, refined orchestration, and judicious use of the Wagnerian technique of leitmotif.

Production : Atelier lyrique, National Theatre School of Canada and National Circus School

PreOpera Talk: A 30-minute dynamic and “user-friendly” introduction to the performance. Hosted by musicologist Pierre Vachon, this get-together is like a journey into the heart of the work’s music and history, its libretto and its symbols, the production’s artists, etc. The PreOpera talks are held in French, with a brief summary in English.

For tickets and information on the Hänsel & Gretel performances and PreOpera talks: www.laplacedesarts.com 514-842-2112 or 1-866-842-2112

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