Hansel and Gretel The Opera

1
Hansel and GretelThe Opera

• by
• Engelbert Humperdinck

2
About the Composer

• Engelbert Humperdinck
• 1854 1921
• German
• Influenced by Richard Wagner

3
About the Opera

• Hansel
• and
• Gretel

4
The Prelude

• First music in the opera
• Orchestra only, no singers
• Prepares audience to hear the story

5
ACT I

• Hansel and Gretel are happily working at home.
• They dance to the song
• Brother Come and Dance with Me.

6
Mother sends Hansel and Gretel into the woods to
gather strawberries

• The story is not exactly the same as the Brothers
  Grimm version.
• It was adapted by Humperdincks sister, Adelheid
  Wette.

7
Father returns home.

• But he is upset to hear that Hansel and Gretel
  have gone into the woods alone.
• He and Mother go at once to find them.

• He brings lots of food and happily sings
  Tra-La-La-La.

8
ACT II

• Hansel and Gretel are gathering strawberries deep
  in the forest.
• Gretel sings
• There Stands a Little Man.

9

• The forest grows dark and scary.
• Hansel and Gretel are frightened.
• The Sandman appears with the song The Little
  Sandman.
• The children answer with their Evening Prayer.
• Angels surround the sleeping children.

10
ACT III

• Hansel and Gretel are awakened by the song and
  dance of The Dew Fairy.

11
Hansel and Gretel see a beautiful house made of
cake and candy.

• When they break off a piece of the house to
  eat, they hear from inside
• Nibble,
• Nibble
• Mouskin.

12
The witch casts a spellHocus Pocus!

• Hansel and Gretel cannot move.
• The witch puts Hansel in a cage.

13
Gretel pushes the witch into the oven

• and frees Hansel.
• Father and Mother arrive.
• The opera ends happily
• Tra-La-La-La.