Hansel and Gretel
Music by Engelbert Humperdinck · libretto by Adelheid Wette · premiered 1893 · at Herzogliches Hoftheater
Hansel and Gretel (German: Hänsel und Gretel) is an opera by nineteenth-century composer Engelbert Humperdinck, who described it as a Märchenoper (fairy-tale opera). The libretto was written by Humperdinck's sister, Adelheid Wette, based on the Grimm brothers' fairy tale of the same name. It is much admired for its folk music-inspired themes, one of the most famous being the "Abendsegen" ("Evening Benediction") from act 2. The idea for the opera was proposed to Humperdinck by his sister, who approached him about writing music for songs that she had written for her children for Christmas based on "Hansel and Gretel". After several revisions, the musical sketches and the songs were turned into a full-scale opera. Humperdinck composed Hansel and Gretel in Frankfurt in 1891 and 1892. The opera was first performed in the Hoftheater in Weimar on 23 December 1893, conducted by Richard Strauss. It has been associated with Christmas since its earliest performances and today it is still most often performed at Christmas time. "Abends will ich schlafen gehn" is a well known duet from the opera.
Text from the Wikipedia article "Hansel and Gretel (opera)", licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
About the Composer
Engelbert Humperdinck may refer to: Engelbert Humperdinck (composer) (1854–1921), German composer Engelbert Humperdinck (singer) (born 1936), British pop singer Engelbert Humperdinck (album), an album by the singer, 1969
Text from the Wikipedia article "Engelbert Humperdinck", licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Other Operas by Engelbert Humperdinck
- Königskinder (1894)
- Dornröschen (1902)