Hansel and Gretel
By Engelbert HumperdinckThe Story
nce upon a time, two children named Hansel and Gretel lived in a small cottage next to a forest with their parents. They were poor and did not have much food to eat. Deep in the forest lived an old Witch who was known for taking little children and baking them into gingerbread for her to eat.
One day, their mother came home angry because Hansel and Gretel did not do their chores around the cottage. Hansel and Gretel’s mother sent her two children into the forest to gather food for everyone.
Before they knew it, the forest became very dark as Hansel and Gretel lost track of time. They followed a shimmering light named Sandman, the Bringer of Dreams. Sandman sprinkled Hansel and Gretel with golden dream-sand that made them dream of 14 guardian angels in their sleep. Soon after, a Dewfairy appeared and woke Hansel and Gretel up from their sleep.
Hansel greedily began to eat the house until an old, ugly woman dressed in black appeared. Before the children knew it, she captured poor Hansel and took him into her house! Gretel followed right after.
Using a magical branch, the Witch cast a spell on Hansel that locked him in the oven because she wanted to bake him and then eat him. For many years, she would capture little boys and girls and turn them into gingerbread that would decorate her house. When she went away, Gretel took the same magical branch to reverse the spell and unlock the oven.
When the Witch returned, she did not know that Gretel had reversed her spell and was surprised when Hansel ran quickly out of the oven. Suddenly, the two children pushed the Witch into the oven.
As the Witch baked in the brick oven, the house made of gingerbread, biscuits, cakes, and chocolate began to crumble. Gretel used the magical branch once again to bring each boy and girl back to life.
When they awoke, Hansel and Gretel were very hungry as they had not eaten since breakfast the previous day, so they began looking for food. Finally, they came across a house made of gingerbread, biscuits, cakes, and chocolate.
The Witch’s house caught fire and finally exploded into pieces! Eventually, Hansel and Gretel’s parents found them and hugged them because they were so happy to find them safe and sound. Hansel remembered his dream from the night before, looked up at the sky, and saw 14 smiling guardian angels that had kept them safe from harm.
Engelbert Humperdinck
German composer and music teacher Engelbert Humperdinck is best known for composing Hansel and Gretel, an opera based on the fairytale by Jakob and Wilhelm Grimm, which was first performed in 1893. Humperdinck was born in 1854 in Siegburg, Germany, and later studied music at Cologne University. Humperdinck worked as the personal assistant to the famous opera composer Richard Wagner and also taught music in Germany, Italy, France, and Spain. Humperdinck composed several other German operas; these however, never equaled the success of Hansel and Gretel
Did you know that the 1970s disco singer Humperdinck created his stage name from Engelbert Humperdinck? They are not related, but the disco singer took his stage name from the composer Engelbert Humperdinck.
Hansel and Gretel Word Search
O V E N H E S S O Z E U T K C
J H W A D U P J I N T S P H F
H G K G P X M J R S O R I A A
T S E R O F Y P D L T L U N I
G I N G E R B R E A D E F G R
E D U R T R E G I R Q K R E Y
O R H O P H Z S E A D Q Q L T
T E H C T F Z N A J F I A S A
T A C O T T A G E N F W N S L
E M R L S I U A O A D Z E C E
R B F E E Q W P T V U M H D K
B D F S E T E H X L I X A T E
I B G N C R E R A G U S O N K
L P Q A A R B R M O T H E R A
K X R H P D C H G E G K R S C
ANGELS BROTHER CAKE
CHILDREN COTTAGE DEWFAIRY
DREAM FAIRYTALE FATHER
FOREST GERTRUDE GINGERBREAD
GRETEL HANSEL HUMPERDINCK
LIBRETTO LOST MOTHER
OPERA OVEN SANDMAN
SISTER SUGAR WITCH
What is Opera?
An opera, like a play, is a story that is the words in opera are frequently sung singers do not use microphones when they large orchestra and chorus into a large Opera is an art form that combines visual ballet), and music (orchestra, chorus, and literature, Biblical stories, fantasy, and in Italian, German, and French. The libretto Humperdinck’s sister, Adelheid Wette.
Singers and orchestral musicians are not for the “big picture” of the opera and directs orchestra in addition to the soloists—often costumes that the singers wear. The set in Hansel and Gretel or Catfish Row in using special lights. All of the designers work backstage to help move the scenery
Have you ever been part of a performance? participate in your favorite performance. Hansel and Gretel. Each person should and so on. Don’t worry about gender when played by both men and women. Rehearse break a leg, or as we say in opera in bocca Opera is special because it takes a lot of types of people. When you put all of these
The opera and story of country, Germany. However, fairytales to teach about in your library.
performed on stage with scenery, props and costumes. However, unlike a play, instead of spoken, and an orchestra normally accompanies the singers. Opera they perform. They train for many years to be able to project their voices over a theater. Have you ever seen a live performance? What did you see? visual art (sets, costumes), drama (story, acting), dance (sometimes even a full and soloists). Opera stories can be based on myths, folktales, great works of real-life stories. Operas are written in many languages, with the most popular libretto of Hansel and Gretel was originally written in German by Engelbert Libretto is Italian for “little book” and means the text of an opera or musical. not the only important participants in an opera. The stage director is responsible directs the singers on the main stage. The conductor leads the chorus and soloists—often adding up to over 100 people! A costume designer creates and builds the set designer creates the location of the opera on stage, such as the magical forest in Porgy and Bess. The lighting designer helps create the desired mood or effect designers work as a team to help create an opera. Finally, stagehands are people who scenery and are part of the production team which make all that stage magic possible. performance? Now here’s your chance! With your friends and family you, too, can performance. Choose your favorite scene from a live performance or your favorite act from should be assigned a part such as singer, actor, stage director, and costume director when assigning parts, for example, the Witch in Hansel and Gretel has been Rehearse your performance a few times and then gather an audience. Have fun and bocca al lupo (which means “into the mouth of the wolf”)! of people to make it work and has many elements that are appealing to different these things together, opera is a treat for both your eyes and your ears!
What is a Fairytale?
The opera Hansel and Gretel is based upon the fairytale of the same name by two brothers, Jakob and Wilhelm Grimm. A fairytale is a fictitious story featuring characters such as children, princes, princesses, fairies, elves, giants, and witches. Today, fairytales are usually intended for children, however generations of adults and children would read or listen to fairytales to learn right from wrong, engage in adventures, for romance, and simply because they are fun! What are some other fairytales that you know? Do you have a favorite fairytale?
Often, characters in fairytales must overcome obstacles and learn many lessons along the way before the villain is punished. What are some of the lessons that Hansel and Gretel learned in this fairytale? Write and share your answers below.
Hansel and Gretel take place in the western European However, many different countries and cultures use stories and about their community. To learn more, check out multicultural fairytales
Books
Abeya, Elisabet. Hansel and Gretel/Hansel y Gretel (Bilingual Book). Chronicle Books, Bilingual edition, 2005.
French, Vivian. The Kingfisher Book of Fairy Tales.
Kingfish Publisher, 2000.
Murphy, Louise. The True Story of Hansel and Gretel.
Penguin Publishers, 2003.
Rosenberg, Jane and Luciano Pavarotti. Sing Me a Story: The Metropolitan Opera’s Book of Opera Stories for Children.
Thames and Hudson Publishers, 1996.
Siberll, Anne and Frederica von Stade. Bravo! Brava! A Night at the Opera: Behind the Scenes with Composers, Cast and Crew. Oxford University Press, 2002.
Thee, Christian. Behind the Curtain: Hansel and Gretel. Workman Publishing Company, 1994.
Recordings
The Classical Child at the Opera, Classical Child, 2001.
Humperdinck: Hansel and Gretel, Angel Records, 2003
Humperdinck Hansel and Gretel (in German), Decca Recordings, 2003.
Pavarotti’s Opera Made Easy: My Favorite Opera for Children, Decca Recordings, 1994.
World’s Very Best Opera for Kids…In English, Children’s Group, 2003.
DVDs/Videos
Faerie Tale Theatre, Hansel and Gretel
Starmaker II Studio
Hansel and Gretel: An Opera Fantasy (1954) View Video Studio
