Name: Hänsel und Gretel
Start: 2023-11-11T00:00:00.000Z
End: 2024-01-06T00:00:00.000Z
Location: Luzerner Theater

Organization

Conductor

Jesse Wong

Stage director

Dirk Schmeding

Set designer

Robert Schweer

Costume designer

Britta Leonhardt

Lighting designer

Clemens Gorzella

Dramaturge

Johanna Mangold

Singer

Baritone

Vladyslav Tlushch

Peter

Mezzo-soprano

Marcela Rahal

Gertrude

Solenn' Lavanant-Linke

Hansel

Soprano

Tania Lorenzo Castro

Gretel

Robert Maszl

The Gingerbread Witch

Stefanie Knorr

Sandman

Dewman

Luzerner Theater

Others

Luzerner Kantorei

Orchestra

Luzerner Sinfonieorchester

Joseph Bastian

Amelia Scicolone

Josy Santos

German

Hänsel und Gretel -  (Hansel and Gretel)

Lucerne

Switzerland

Bühne

Hänsel und Gretel Humperdinck

Public

Hansel and Gretel

Approved

Accordionist

Instrumentalist

Archlutenist

Baroque Flutist

Baroque Oboist

Baroque Trumpetist

Bassist

Bassoonist

Cellist

Clarinetist

Contrabassist

Cornettist

Flutist

Guitarist

Harper

Harpsichordist

Hornist

Lutenist

Mandoline Player

Musette de cour Player

Oboist

Organist

Percussionist

Pianist

Recorder Player

Saxophonist

Tenor Violinist

Theorbist

Timpani

Trombonist

Trumpeter

Tuba Player

Vibraphonist

Viola Pomposa Player

Viola da gamba

Viola d’amore Player

Violinist

Violino Piccolo Player

Violist

Actor

Broadcasting

Choir

Choreographer

Chorus Director

Chorus master

Composer

Dancer

Executive producer

Extra

Hairstylist

Illustrator

Librettist

Makeup artist

Orchestra Operations

Other

Photographer

Poet

Repetiteur

Sound designer

Stage Manager

Teacher

Translator

Video designer

Vocal coach

Wig & Makeup Designer

Writer

Writing and performance

Countertenor

Contralto

Bass

Tenor

Bass-baritone

Alto

Child vocalist

Continuo

Silent

Spoken

Once upon a time... hunger. But not only. Because there were also ... two very brave children. Plus a wicked witch. And the two courageous children not only fought against their hunger, but also against the witch - and in the end even won!

Who doesn't know the Grimm fairy tale of Hansel and Gretel, who are sent into the forest by their parents and end up with the crispy witch. Based on this story, Engelbert Humperdinck wrote his eponymous work in 1892 and thus created the ultimate pre-Christmas opera. The simple but highly poetic libretto was written by Humperdinck's sister Adelheid Wette, who toned down some motifs from the original to make the opera more accessible to children, but left the deep psychological subtexts unchanged. Not least because of the enchanting music, "Hänsel and Gretel" has established itself in the repertoire as both a children's and an adult opera. 

Musically, the fairy tale opera impresses with a late-Romantic tonal language that is reminiscent of Richard Wagner in places. The core, however, are simple children's songs in folk style, which Humperdinck integrated into his work: "Suse, dear Suse!", "A little man is standing in the woods" or the famous "Abendsegen", one of the most poignant moments of the opera.

Director Dirk Schmeding has made a name for himself at theaters in Braunschweig, Darmstadt, Graz, Vienna and Weimar in recent years. In his works he often combines poetic images with a psychological penetration of the works. Humperdinck's opera, in which fairytale layers of the subconscious are uncovered, seems tailor-made for his directorial style.

English

Es war einmal … Hunger. Aber nicht nur. Denn es waren auch ... zwei sehr mutige Kinder. Dazu eine böse Hexe. Und die zwei mutigen Kinder kämpften nicht nur gegen ihren Hunger, sondern auch gegen die Hexe – und gewannen am Ende gar!

Wer kennt es nicht, das Grimm’sche Märchen von Hänsel und Gretel, die von ihren Eltern in den Wald geschickt werden und bei der Knusperhexe landen. Basierend auf dieser Geschichte hat Engelbert Humperdinck 1892 sein gleichnamiges Werk geschrieben und damit die Vorweihnachtsoper schlechthin geschaffen. Das schlichte, aber hochpoetische Libretto stammt von Humperdincks Schwester Adelheid Wette, die einige Motive aus dem Original abmilderte, um Kindern die Oper leichter zugänglich zu machen, die tiefenpsychologischen Subtexte jedoch unverändert liess. Nicht zuletzt durch die bezaubernde Musik hat sich «Hänsel und Gretel» als Kinder- wie als Erwachsenenoper im Repertoire etabliert. 

Musikalisch besticht die Märchenoper durch eine spätromantische Klangsprache, die stellenweise an Richard Wagner erinnert. Das Herzstück allerdings bilden einfache Kinderlieder im Volkston, die Humperdinck in sein Werk integrierte: «Suse, liebe Suse!», «Ein Männlein steht im Walde» oder der berühmt gewordene «Abendsegen», einer der ergreifendsten Momente der Oper.

Regisseur Dirk Schmeding hat sich in den letzten Jahren an Theatern in Braunschweig, Darmstadt, Graz, Wien und Weimar einen Namen gemacht. In seinen Arbeiten verbindet er oftmals poetische Bilder mit einer psychologischen Durchdringung der Werke. Humperdincks Oper, in der märchenhafte Schichten des Unterbewusstseins freigelegt werden, scheint wie gemacht für seine Regiehandschrift.

Deutsch

Hansel and Gretel by Humperdinck, From (2023/2024), Directed by Dirk Schmeding,, Conductor Jesse Wong, Joseph Bastian, Luzerner Theater, Lucerne, Switzerland

Performance credits (Cast & Crew )

Cast

Crew

Ensemble

Programme, About & Synopsis

Videos

Photos

Further reading

Performance Dates & Venues

Venues