April 16, 2024
Oakland University’s School of Music, Theatre and Dance will present Hansel and Gretel, an opera by Engelbert Humperdinck based on the Grimm brothers’ dark fairy tale, from May 2 – May 5 in Varner Recital Hall on the OU campus.
"Hansel and Gretel is one of the most charming and enduring works of operatic repertoire,” said Director Drake Dantzler, associate professor of voice and coordinator of opera studies at OU. “Humperdinck's gift for writing lyrical and playful melodies is well paired with this, his sister's adaptation of the Grimm fairy tale.”
Set in three acts, the work takes audiences from Hansel and Gretel's house, through the enchanted forest, and to the Witch's home. The show features professional sets and costumes, as well as a professional orchestra.
“While Humperdinck's music appears tuneful and accessible, it is actually quite complicated to perform,” Dantzler said. “The orchestra is substantial and the orchestration is harmonically and rhythmically challenging. Our students have had to utilize all the skills they learn here at OU, from their vocal studio work to their theoretical and historical classroom learning.
“Additionally, getting to work with an orchestra is a fundamental part of learning to be a professional operatic singer, and we are fortunate to have Professor Victoria Shively conducting the orchestra and leading our singers,” he added.
Dantzler also commended the work of the OU undergraduate students in the production.
"Bringing a work like Hansel and Gretel to the operatic stage is a sizable undertaking, and our students have been up to the task in every way,” he said. “It has been a pleasure to work with our students on this timeless opera, and they are doing an outstanding job singing the challenging music and telling the fairy tale story.”
OU undergraduate student Montana King plays “the Witch” in the production, and described her role as “a very fun character to play.”
“She’s so evil, it’s almost comical at times and it’s a really cool experience to play a character that is so extreme,” she said. “It also means a lot to me because it’s an amazing chance to do what I love with some of my closest friends while also having the opportunity to learn such an amazing role. This opera has also been an incredible learning experience to have such a prominent role as junior vocal performance major.”
Aidan Laidlaw, who plays the father of Hansel and Gretel, agreed.
“This show means very much to me for a lot of reasons,” he said. “For starters, it is always an honor to be able to be taught by both Dr. Dantzler and Professor Shively. Their knowledge on both performance and music is truly remarkable and I am so fortunate I can learn from these fantastic people.
“Secondly, my fellow members of the cast have been doing such a fantastic job bringing a very popular tale to life,” he added. “To say they are doing great is truly an understatement. Finally, it is always such an enjoyable experience when you bring stories to life and this show is no exception. I am so fortunate I get to play a role this fun and to be singing in front of an amazing audience here at Oakland University.”
Tickets for Hansel and Gretel are $12 for students and $22 for the general public, and can be purchased online at etix.com.
For more information about this and other upcoming performances, visit www.oakland.edu/smtd/performances-and-events.
Performance Schedule
• Thursday, May 2 at 7:30 p.m.
• Friday, May 3 at 7:30 p.m.
• Saturday, May 4 at 7:30 p.m.
• Sunday, May 5 at 2 p.m.