Two versions of Engelbert Humperdinck’s 1893 opera Hänsel und Gretel will be performed by Melbourne Conservatorium of Music students in December — one for children and a darker version for adults.
Both stagings of the opera will feature students in the Master of Music (Opera Performance), with set and costume designs by two students in the Master of Design and Production (Stage Design). Humperdinck’s score will be played by students of the Conservatorium, the full German version being conducted by Richard Davis, Head of Orchestral Studies, and the shorter English version being led by two repetiteur students from the Opera Performance course.
Head of the Opera program Professor Jane Davidson, who directed the two productions, explains that the decision to stage different versions of the opera came from a wish to give the students as broad an experience as possible, exploring contrasting interpretative possibilities within the same work.
“Nowadays, Hansel and Gretel is most immediately recognised as a children’s story in which a brother and sister get lost in a spooky wood, find a gingerbread house with a scary witch, and all is resolved as good overcomes evil,” Professor Davidson said.
“However, when you look at the original story, its roots stretch back to a very challenging history of desperate famine, abandonment, and murder of children by people with deep trust in forces beyond themselves. Given this history, it seemed appropriate to explore these dark themes as well as those that more immediately come to mind when we think of this children’s fairy tale. Humperdinck’s score is brilliant, depicting light and dark, often simultaneously, so it is possible to develop two very different productions.”
Professor Davidson said audiences can look forward to strong performances from the enthusiastic casts, comprising more than 30 performers.
“In order to give all students rich learning opportunities, the performances feature rotating casts, with some individuals performing in both productions, and others focusing on either the shorter children’s version or the adult version of the tale, recalling that this involves singing in different languages,” she said.
“In both productions, the set is always adapting, reflecting the experiences of the children. As the set is literally handled, this means that the chorus — largely comprising undergraduate voice students — are deeply integrated into the project as characters shaping the setting, and so expanding their performance experiences.”
Master of Music student Chloe Taylor said working on a large-scale opera production has been a highly positive learning experience.
“Being involved in the Conservatorium’s production of Hänsel und Gretel this year has been such a unique experience, as the two interpretations not only differ in language, but also themes, intention and relationships,” said Chloe.
“Working together as a cohort in a variety of casts across the shows has been a highlight, as the unwavering support and camaraderie present in the rehearsal room and theatre creates a truly positive environment for us to flourish as growing artists motivated by a collective goal.”
The full-length opera will be sung in German while the shorter version for children is in English, both productions use surtitles to maximise accessibility.
Hänsel und Gretel
11-14 December 2024 7pm
Union Theatre, The University of Melbourne, 761 Swanston Street, Parkville, VIC 3052
Run time: 2 hours and 10 minutes, including an interval
Book now
Hansel and Gretel for Schools and Families
11am, 11-14 December 2024
Union Theatre, The University of Melbourne, 761 Swanston Street, Parkville, VIC 3052
Run time: 56 minutes with no interval
Book now