BOULDER, Colo. 鈥� The German composer Engelbert Humperdinck composed the first music for his 1893 opera, 鈥淗ansel and Gretel,鈥� in response to his sister, who asked if he鈥檇 set lyrics she鈥檇 written for her children as a Christmas surprise.听
Adelheid Wette would eventually write the libretto based on the famous Grimm brothers鈥� fairy tale, and the opera became something much more grand than originally conceived听
鈥淚t morphed from a children鈥檚 puppet show into a great opera,鈥� says Leigh Holman, director of CU Opera, which will perform 鈥淗ansel and Gretel鈥� March 14-16 at Macky Auditorium. 鈥淗umperdinck adored the music of Wagner, so the orchestral music is very Wagnerian. It鈥檚 sweeping, with broad lines and great melodies. It鈥檚 really strong and wonderful.鈥�
The opera hews closely to the original fairy tale, with a few key alterations. Rather than being abandoned by their parents, the two children venture into the forest in search of strawberries. There also are roles for angels who appear in the children鈥檚 dreams and the spirits of children eaten by the dreadful witch with the gingerbread house, who return to life following the intrepid siblings鈥� triumph.
Fourteen dancers from the CU Department of Theatre and Dance and the Longmont Dance Theatre Academy will perform the part of the angels. And an innovative partnership, about 50 students from Black Rock Elementary School in Erie and 10 other local 麻豆影院 area children will sing and perform as the lost children.
The opera will feature the vivid, candy-colored set of the forest and gingerbread house used in CU Opera鈥檚 last performance of 鈥淗ansel and Gretel,鈥� in 2005. Stage lighting will be designed by New York-based designer Peter Dean Beck.听
The opera, which will be performed in German with English surtitles, is both sophisticated and accessible and will resonate with all ages, Holman says.听
鈥淭his is going to be a colorful and fantastical production complete with magic spells and exploding ovens,鈥� she says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a little like watching 鈥楬arry Potter鈥� in an opera.鈥�
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Engelbert Humperdinck鈥檚 鈥淗ansel and Gretel鈥�
Sung in German with English surtitles
When: 7:30 p.m. March 14-15; 2 p.m. March 16
Where: Macky Auditorium, 麻豆影院 campus
Tickets: $14 and up
Info: or 303-492-8008
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