Hansel and Gretel Fairy Tale
Hansel and Gretel is an old German fairy tale recorded by the Brothers Grimm and published in their collection of folk stories in 1812.
The tale may have originated during the Great Famine of 1315 – 1317 in northern Europe. Starvation led to the abandonment of children.
Hansel and Gretel is the fairy tale where two kids drop bread crumbs to mark their path into the forest. They are captured by a witch in a candy house who plans to eat them.
Hansel and Gretel Opera
Engelbert Humperdinck (the German composer, not the English pop singer) wrote an opera around the fairy tale. It premiered at the court theater in Weimar, Germany in 1893.
Humperdinck was an assistant to German composer Richard Wagner so the opera has that Wagnerian flavor. Humperdinck’s sister Adelheid Wette wrote the libretto.
Hansel and Gretel Story
Hansel and Gretel are a young brother and sister. Their parents decide to abandon them because there is not enough to eat. On a journey into the forest, the children drop a trail of bread crumbs to mark their way home, but birds eat the bread and the children get lost in the woods.
The children stumble upon a house made of cake and candy. It turns out the house’s owner is a bad witch who plans to eat Hansel and Gretel. The two escape by outwitting the old woman.
Hansel and Gretel 2017
This is Richard Jones’ production. It is sung in English.
Hansel and Gretel Cast
Tara Erraught and Ingeborg Gillebo share the role of Hansel.
Lisette Oropesa and Maureen McKay share the role of Gretel.
The legendary Dolora Zajick is the children’s mother Gertrude.
Hansel and Gretel Performances
The Metropolitan Opera performs Hansel and Gretel seven times between December 18, 2017 and January 6, 2018.
December 2017
Monday, December 18 at 7:30 pm
Friday, December 22 at 8 pm
Tuesday, December 26 at 7:30 pm
Thursday, December 28 at 1 pm
Saturday, December 30 at 8 pm
January 2018
Monday, January 1 at 7:30 pm
Saturday, January 6 at 1 pm
Hansel and Gretel Tickets
Tickets start at $25
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