Hansel und Gretel
Document Type
Oral Presentation
Campus where you would like to present
SURC Ballroom D
Start Date
20-5-2012
End Date
20-5-2012
Abstract
Hansel und Gretel is a well-known fairy tale opera by the late romantic composer, Engelbert Humperdinck. It was originally sung in German but for this scene it will be sung in English. Our scene takes place deep in the woods just before dusk. Hansel and Gretel are searching for strawberries when they realize they have lost their way home. The sandman comes to come calm their fears and sprinkles magical sand in their eyes to help them fall asleep. They end the scene singing a prayer and sleep in each other’s arms. Hansel und Gretel is a great example of late romantic German opera. Many German operas of this genre had elements of magic, a wide variety of characters, were set in the outdoors, and were often based on fairytale, myth, or legend. Humperdinck was a student of Richard Wagner; he used his teacher’s works as inspiration. This can be heard in the chromatic and dramatic writing in Hansel und Gretel. The preparation for this scene started in December when we received our music. We were given all of winter quarter to learn our parts and were expected to have it memorized at the beginning of spring quarter. Then within the course of about seven weeks we worked on staging and refining our characters. The week before the show performances we rehearse intently making sure the lighting and all details were performance ready for the performances in Hertz Hall.
Recommended Citation
Redden, Blyn, "Hansel und Gretel" (2012). Symposium Of University Research and Creative Expression (SOURCE). 17.
https://digitalcommons.cwu.edu/source/2012/creativeexpression/17
Additional Mentoring Department
Music
Hansel und Gretel
SURC Ballroom D
Hansel und Gretel is a well-known fairy tale opera by the late romantic composer, Engelbert Humperdinck. It was originally sung in German but for this scene it will be sung in English. Our scene takes place deep in the woods just before dusk. Hansel and Gretel are searching for strawberries when they realize they have lost their way home. The sandman comes to come calm their fears and sprinkles magical sand in their eyes to help them fall asleep. They end the scene singing a prayer and sleep in each other’s arms. Hansel und Gretel is a great example of late romantic German opera. Many German operas of this genre had elements of magic, a wide variety of characters, were set in the outdoors, and were often based on fairytale, myth, or legend. Humperdinck was a student of Richard Wagner; he used his teacher’s works as inspiration. This can be heard in the chromatic and dramatic writing in Hansel und Gretel. The preparation for this scene started in December when we received our music. We were given all of winter quarter to learn our parts and were expected to have it memorized at the beginning of spring quarter. Then within the course of about seven weeks we worked on staging and refining our characters. The week before the show performances we rehearse intently making sure the lighting and all details were performance ready for the performances in Hertz Hall.
Faculty Mentor(s)
Gayla Blasidell