LIVE FROM THE MET: HANSEL AND GRETEL {HANSEL & GRETEL} {TAPE 1 OF 3} (TV)
Summary
Tape one of three. One in this series of operas televised from New York City's Metropolitan Opera House. This performance of Engelbert Humperdinck's opera is a musical adaptation of a classic children's folk tale sung in English. Host Peter Allen describes the situation that caused Humperdinck to compose an opera for children, after which a special guest, Big Bird from "Sesame Street," gives a brief explanation of the art of opera for young viewers. As Act I begins Hansel and Gretel, the children of a poor broom-maker, are feeling very hungry while dawdling over their household chores; they spend their time playing, quarreling, and searching for food. Gertrude, their mother, finds Hansel dancing while Gretel sings the tune "Brother, come and dance with me." The mother is furious with her offspring for neglecting their work, and while chasing Hansel around the kitchen she accidentally knocks over a pitcher of milk, the family's only food.
She sends the children out into the woods and warns them not to return until they pick enough strawberries for supper. While they are gone, Peter, their father, comes home happy and drunk, singing about the trials of being poor. He mollifies his wife's anger with a sack full of food for the family, the result of an unusually successful day selling his wares at market. Peter becomes frantic when he learns that the children have gone to Ilsenstein, and he sings an aria to his wife about the location's enchanted spells and evil inhabitants. He is particularly worried about a witch who lures children with sweets and then bakes them into bread she serves to the other witches. The scene ends as Peter and Gertrude leave in search of their children. As scene two opens, the orchestra plays the "Witches' Ride," and Hansel and Gretel eat the strawberries they have picked. Night approaches, and they become lost and frightened by mysterious figures and scary voices. In order to relax them, the Sandman arrives and sprinkles them with magic sand so that they may sleep peacefully. After brother and sister sing the "Children's Prayer," they slumber, and the angels descend, covering them with a blanket of protection. Continues with T86:1863.
Details
- NETWORK: PBS WNET New York, NY
- DATE: December 25, 1982 2:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:05:54
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T86:1861
- GENRE: Music; Children's
- SUBJECT HEADING: Operas
- SERIES RUN: PBS - TV series, 1977-
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- For "Live From the Met":
- Michael Bronson … Executive Producer
- Clemente D'Alessio … Producer
- Karen Adler … Associate Producer
- Kirk Browning … Director, Directed for Television by
- Alan Skog … Direction (Misc.), Associate Director
- For "Hansel & Gretel":
- Bruce Donnell … Director, Directed for the stage by
- Jacob Grimm … Writer, Based on the tale by
- Wilhelm Grimm … Writer, Based on the tale by
- Norman Kelley … English translation by
- Engelbert Humperdinck … Composer
- Thomas Fulton … Conductor
- Adelheid Wette … Librettist
- Zachary Solov … Choreographer
- Metropolitan Opera Orchestra … Symphony Orchestra
- Mildred Hohner … Choral Director, Children's Chorus Mistress
- Walter Taussig … Music (Misc. Credits), Musical Preparation
- Peter Allen … Host
- Carroll Spinney … Cast, Big Bird
- Judith Blegen … Cast, Gretel
- Von Stade, Frederica … Cast, Hansel
- Rosalind Elias … Cast, the Witch
- Jean Kraft … Cast, Gertrude
- Michael Devlin … Cast, Peter
- Betsy Norden … Cast, the Dewfairy
- Diane Kesling … Cast, the Sandman
- For "History of Radio Broadcasts":
- Alan Skog … Director
- Gerald Fitzgerald … Writer