“Hänsel und Gretel” is indubitably the fairytale opera of all fairytale operas. Its success gained for the composer Engelbert Humperdinck (1854-1921) a permanent place in the list of the great opera masters. His score is a successful blend between a highly polished late-romantic orchestral sound and popular children’s songs such as “Susie, dearest Susie”, “Brother, come and dance with me” or “On one leg in the woods stands a little man” which warm the hearts of children and adults alike.

In der staging of Andreas Meyer-Hanno it has now been in the repertoire of Deutsche Oper am Rhein since 1969 and has long since achieved cult status. One generation after another has seen the performance and likes to come back again. In this they confirm the words of Humperdinck, whose comment on his operatic triumph was “It is really a story for children, but then we are all children at heart”.

 
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Engelbert Humperdinck
(1854 - 1921)

HÄNSEL UND GRETEL
(Hansel and Gretel)
Fairy tale opera in three acts
Libretto by Adelheid Wette, based on the Grimm brothers' "Hänsel und Gretel"
 
In deutscher Sprache mit Übertiteln
 

Musikalische Leitung Christoph Altstaedt
Inszenierung Andreas Meyer-Hanno
Bühne Gerda Zientek
Kostüme Inge Diettrich
Kinderchorleitung Justine Wanat
 
Hänsel Sarah Ferede
Gretel Elisabeth Selle
Gertrud Renée Morloc
Peter James Bobby
Hexe Florian Simson
Sandmännchen Maria Kataeva
Taumännchen Luiza Fatyol
Kinderchor Düsseldorfer Mädchenchor
Orchester Düsseldorfer Symphoniker