João e Maria by Humperdinck, dom 30 dez 2018, De (2018/2019), Dirigido por Robert Carsen, Regente Markus Poschner, Michael Richter, Opernhaus, Zurique, Suíça

Hansel and Gretel With Hansel and GretelEngelbert Humperdinck created the most successful fairy tale opera of all time. The famous Grimm fairy tale, on which the opera is based, tells a spooky story about an impoverished woodcutter and his wife who want to get rid of their children in the forest. Humperdink's opera shows a milder and highly imaginative version: Hansel and Gretel are accompanied by the sand and dew figures on their wanderings through the deep forest, fourteen angels protect them during the night. The witch Rosina Candy Mouth attracts the children with her enticing crunchy little house. She wants to fatten and eat Hansel. But Gretel cunningly defends herself and succeeds in pushing the witch into the burning oven. In the end, Hansel and Gretel not only find their parents again, they also rescue the children who have been turned into gingerbread by the witch. Humperdinck's fairy tale opera is influenced by the musical language of Richard Wagner, who he always regarded as an unattainable role model. Many melodies and texts also go back to folk music, such as the well-known song "A little man is standing in the forest" or the evening blessing "I want to go to sleep in the evening". Robert Carsen stages the popular fairy tale for the whole family. In the premiere, Olga Kulchynska and Anna Stéphany can be seen as siblings.