For two years running, January 20th has found me at Capitol Theatre enjoying a Utah Opera production. Last year, I was there to see Portman and Wright’s The Little Prince. This year, I went to see Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel. I found the production to be a delightful adaptation of the fairytale — featuring a lush score, dynamic singing and character interpretation, and effective sets and lighting.
Hansel and Gretel are home alone in their family’s meager cottage, supposedly completing their chores. Gretel (Maureen McKay) is more industrious and sings while she works. Hansel (Sarah Coit) is easily distracted and turns his sister’s song into a lament about how hungry he is. The pair sings and dances until their mother (Aubrey Adams-McMillan) comes home, upset to find that the children haven’t completed their work. In her anger, she accidentally breaks and spills a pitcher of milk that she had intended to use for the evening’s dinner. Lacking other provisions, she sends Hansel and Gretel into the forest to gather strawberries. Their father (Gabriel Preisser) returns home in a particularly jovial mood after drinking and also selling more of his brooms than usual. He arrives with ample provisions to feed his family: meat, eggs, onions, and beans. His happiness changes to worry when he learns that the children have gone into the woods on their own. He warns of the Gingerbread Witch who lures children with sweets, only to push them into her oven, changing them into gingerbread. The parents set off to rescue their children.
In the forest, Hansel and Gretel know nothing of the potential danger that threatens them, so they freely dance, sing, and daydream as they gather flowers and strawberries. By nightfall, they have eaten all of the strawberries they collected, and they realize that they are lost. The Sandman (Sarah Scofield) appears, sprinkling sparkly dust in their eyes to help them sleep. In the morning, the Dew Fairy (Stephanie Chee) wakes them up. Hansel and Gretel turn to see a magnificent gingerbread house, lavishly decorated with colorful sweets. The children indulge their appetite and nibble at the house, provoking a response from the Gingerbread Witch (Freddie Ballentine). She offers them an assortment of goodies, only to immobilize and attempt to get them into her oven. Hansel and Gretel outsmart the Gingerbread Witch, however, giving her a taste of her own medicine and liberating all of her previous gingerbread children. Hansel and Gretel’s parents arrive in time to celebrate the happy occasion.
This opera’s enchanting overture drew me in from its first few notes, establishing a tranquil, pastoral scene that becomes pleasantly animated — an apt accompaniment for the action that occurs on stage. The lighting and sets take the audience to an attractive fairytale world characterized by mystery and vibrant color. Mezzo-soprano Sarah Coit and soprano Maureen McKay, though adult artists, create believable characters in their portrayals of Hansel and Gretel, respectively — bringing out the awe, wonder, and imagination of childhood. McKay’s singing stands out as being particularly beautiful due to her warm lower register, gentle upper register, and lyrical phrasing. Gabriel Preisser delivers a lively performance as the children’s father, also having a warm vocal tone and crisp diction. Humperdinck wrote the role of the Gingerbread Witch for a mezzo-soprano voice, yet opera companies sometimes cast a tenor because male vocal qualities deepen the character’s menacing qualities. Thus, Utah Opera cast Freddie Ballantine, a versatile and expressive artist with a rich tenor voice, in this role. He leans into the role’s humor and gives an over-the-top, thoroughly entertaining, comedic performance. In addition to the production’s fantastic singing, dance (Children’s Ballet Theatre) and well-executed pantomime convey part of the action.
Hansel and Gretel is lighter operatic fare that provides a whimsical escape from reality. It is an accessible piece that would be a suitable choice for patrons who are less familiar with opera, eager to try it, yet unsure if they would like a heavier option. Utah Opera’s entertaining production runs through Sunday, January 26, 2024. Click here for tickets and information.
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