Hänsel and Gretel

The ten-year-old girl sitting next to me with her mother was utterly entranced – switching focus between the action on stage, and the TV screen behind us of the conductor Tahu Matherson waving his baton for the cast.

The music with its German folk influences - like the birthday cake house set at the end of the opera – was scrumptious.

There are many nice tunes with highlights including crisp interludes from percussion, a delightful clarinet solo and what was the amazing instrument which so beautifully imitated the sound of a cuckoo?

How often can you say that an Opera (written in the 19^th century) can keep the attention of children for two hours (with an interval)?

The Brothers Grimm knew how to keep the focus of youngsters – entertaining and terrifying the little ones with tales about discipline, expectations of good behaviour and the supernatural.

The opera opens with Hänsel (Margaret Plummer ) and Gretel (Stacey Alleaume), hungry and naughty, waiting for the return of their wicked stepmother in their modest home.

The cheeky characters, first penned in 1812, are very relatable in not wanting to do their homework. Translated into English the first act nonetheless required reference to the sub-titles to fully understand what was happening.

When precious milk is spilt the step-mother sends them out to the forest to fetch strawberries.  This upsets their father (Shane Lowrencev) who had made a jolly entrance through the audience to boast how much food he had bought after selling his brooms.     Stone the crows he even had found a familiar spread which is popular in Australia, but not heard of in 19^th century Germany.

The production, originally directed by the late Elijah Moshinsky, had its premiere in 1994 and has not been seen for over 20 years. It is a shame it is not seen more often.

Designed by Mark Thompson with a surreal touch, the forest resembles an enlarged version of the family home, with the spilt milk, corrupted floorboards and distorted pieces of furniture.

Hänsel and Gretel’s adventures include a beautiful dream of happier times and life threatening encounters with a witch who wants to fatten them and eat them. More than enough drama for an opera.

These are realised with striking costumes, lighting and some beautiful singing, most striking in arias performed by the Witch (Jane Ede) and Gretel (Alleaume).

A fine troupe of actors were joined by a charming children’s chorus. In the audience on opening night was beaming Grandfather Jimmy Barnes, and parents David and Lisa Campbell, of Betty Campbell making her Opera House debut.

How about that – Grandfather is a heavy metal rocker, parents are musical theatre/cabaret and the performer is in an opera – with each generation becoming more highbrow!

No surprises to learn who was giving the cast a standing ovation.

David Spicer

Photographer: Carlita Sari