Category

Tue, 9th December 2008 - Thu, 1st January 2009

Is that the wind whispering or a wicked witch planning to fatten you up and eat you? Find out with Hansel and Gretel in this funny-scary-touching opera, the perfect family fare from The Royal Opera for everyone from eight years to eighty to discover something special at holiday time. In this famous fairytale, two children become lost in a forest and are captured by a witch whose gingerbread house proves too much of a temptation for their hunger. In an explosive climax – and with the help of some magic – the defeated witch gets a taste of her own culinary methods, and of course there is a rousing happy ending when parents and children are happily and safely reunited. This brand new production by regula favourites Patrice Caurier and Moshe Leiser has their characteristic wit but with a dash of deliciously black comedy too. But don’t worry, for the Sandman, the Dew Fairy and a host of protective angels bring visual and musical beauty to brighten anything lurking in the darker corners. Humperdinck’s music matches catchy folk-like songs with sumptuous instrumental colour, and here the two fine casts of singers – familiar faces on the Covent Garden stage – are truly stunning ones to bring it all alive. This is as tunefully approachable, musically memorable and visually delightful as opera gets.