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HANSEL AND GRETEL SYNOPSIS

Once upon a time … Hansel and Gretel’s home, a magical forest, and the witch’s home

Brother and sister Hansel and Gretel are ignoring their chores and playing instead of doing what Father asked, so he sends them off into the nearby woods to look for berries for the family.

While picking berries, Hansel and Gretel get distracted, and while impersonating the Cuckoo bird, they eat all the berries. While they are lost and scared in the darkening wood, the Sandman comes to them and puts them to sleep.

In the morning, the starving children wake to find a wonderful gingerbread house, which they immediately begin eating – without asking first. The owner of the house–a Witch–arrives and tries to speak to Hansel and Gretel, but in their fear, they run away.

To keep the children nearby, the Witch tries to turn them into gingerbread children, but Gretel escapes and tries to push the Witch into the oven. The Witch catches her and explains why she’s so lonely. Everyone comes to steal parts of her delicious house, she says, which she has worked hard to build herself. Then they try to run away, and she is left without any friends.

Hansel and Gretel apologize and promise to stay friends with the Witch. The Witch thanks the children and agrees to undo the other spells she has placed on the gingerbread children there. Father finds the children in the woods with their new friends the Witch, and they all sing together.

FIRST PERFORMANCE Dec. 23, 1893 at the Weimar Hoftheater, Weimar, Germany

COMPOSER Engelbert Humperdinck

LIBRETTIST Adelheid Wette

ENGLISH ADAPTATION Brenna Corner

PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Brenna Corner

MUSIC DIRECTOR Rolando Salazar

SCENIC & CO-PUPPET DESIGNER James F. Rotondo, III

COSTUME & CO-PUPPET DESIGNER Joanna Schmink

PIANIST Choo Choo Hu

Approximate run time: 45 minutes with no intermission

Performed in English

ABOUT THE STUDIO TOUR: Founded in 1980, The Atlanta Opera Studio Tour is the company’s longest running educational initiative. Over the past 39 years, more than one million students have been introduced to opera through the Studio Tour. Designed to travel, Studio Tour productions are presented in schools and community venues across the state of Georgia each season. Educators are provided with comprehensive Study Guides, which feature an in-depth look at opera as well as cross-curricular activities corresponding to the Georgia Standards of Excellence.

CAST

GRETEL, The older sister

AMY SMITHWICK soprano

HANSEL, The younger Brother

JESSICA WAX mezzo-soprano

FATHER, Hansel and Gretel’s father

SANDMAN, A fairy creature who lives in the forest and sings lullabies

SAMUEL FERREIRA baritone

THE WITCH, A misunderstood magical person who lives in the forest

ROBERT BANKS tenor