The University of Lethbridge and the Lethbridge Symphony Orchestra are excited to work together on another new opera — Hansel and Gretel, which takes place art the Southminster United Church, Jan. 29 and 30.
For U of L opera workshop director Dr. Blaine Hendsbee, this year’s production of the beloved fairy tale is especially special.
“I played the witch in New York City opera. It’s a tenor part and sometimes it is played by a man and sometimes it is played by a woman. In our production it’s a woman, so it’s been a lot of fun for me to pass on some tips to our witch,” Hendsbee enthused.
“I love the music,” he said, noting while it is still opera, the tunes are based on traditional folk melodies.
“The music is hummable folk melodies,” he said adding Engelbert Humperdinck’s opera is one of the most performed operas in the world.
“It’s one of the top 20 performed operas in the world so it’s time tested,” he said adding everybody knows the Grimm Brothers fairy tale the opera is based on.
It features a smaller cast of seven principals including Hansel, Gretel, their parents, the witch and two additional supernatural characters added by Humperdinck plus 40 chorus members.
The principals are double cast in a multitude of roles. Cast members include recent U of L Masters in Music graduate Megan Wittig plus Alyssa Walder and Madison Craig.
Hendsbee observed the cast have to look like children, but still have full, mature voices.
“There is lush orchestration and a full palette of orchestral colours,” he enthused adding, as always, he chose an opera he felt will best showcase his principals’ voice.
“We have a chorus of 40 gingerbread children form the U of L conservatory directed by Kathy Matkin-Clapton,” he said adding he always enjoys working with Lethbridge Symphony Orchestra conductor Glenn Klassen.
“I love collaborating with him. He’s my partner in crime or art,” he said, noting he is also pleased to have costumer designer Leslie Robison-Greene.
“And it’s short and beautiful. Including the intermission it’s only two hours, but it’s an invigorating two hours,” he said.
“ It’s a pretty concise performance,” he said.
Hansel and Gretel runs at 8 p.m., Jan. 29 and Jan. 30. Tickets range between $25-$75.