Hansel and Gretel: Fairy-tale Opera in Three Acts Cover Image

Hansel and Gretel: Fairy-tale Opera in Three Acts: Light Opera, Full Orchestra Accompaniment Conductor Score

$190.00 USD

Hansel and Gretel: Fairy-tale Opera in Three Acts: Light Opera, Full Orchestra Accompaniment Conductor Score

Name: Hansel and Gretel: Fairy-tale Opera in Three Acts: Light Opera, Full Orchestra Accompaniment Conductor Score
Brand: Alfred Music
SKU: 36-A230501
Price: 190.00 USD
Availability: InStock

By Engelbert Humperdinck

Item: 36-A230501

$190.00

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Hänsel und Gretel, a Märchenspiel (Fairy-tale opera) in three acts, was written by Engelbert Humperdinck (1854-1921) in 1890-1892, with a libretto by his sister Adelheid Wette. Humperdinck began to work on the opera upon the request of his sister for a set of four songs for her children to perform, based on the well-known Brothers Grimm tale. From these four songs, the composer worked it into first a singspiel, then a full opera that premiered on December 23, 1893 at the Hoftheater in Weimar, under the baton of the composer's friend, Richard Strauss. An immediate success, the opera was quickly associated with Christmas and is most frequently performed during the holiday season. Instrumentation: 2+Picc.2(2dEH).2+BCl.2: 4.2.3.1: Timp.Perc(4-5): Hp: Str(4-4-3-3-3 in set): Vocal Soli (7 roles SSSAAAB): Chorus. Vocal and choral scores are available separately from Alfred as a Kalmus Classic Edition.

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Series: Kalmus Opera Library

Publisher: Keiser Productions, Inc.

ISBN10: 1-63887-781-5

ISBN13: 978-1-63887-781-3

UPC: 735816377236

SKU: 36-A230501

Instrumentation: 2+Picc.2(2dEH).2+BCl.2: 4.2.3.1: Timp.Perc(4-5): Hp: Str(4-4-3-3-3 in set): Vocal Soli (7 roles SSSAAAB): Chorus

More about this title

About the Composer: Engelbert Humperdinck

Engelbert Humperdinck (1854-1921) was a German composer who studied under Richard Wagner and brought the operatic traditions of Wagner into the realm of fairy-tale opera. Though he composed symphonies, choral works, and chamber music throughout his career, Hänsel und Gretel remains his enduring masterpiece and one of the most frequently performed operas in the world.

Humperdinck's genius lay in his ability to blend Wagner's harmonic language and orchestral sophistication with the charm and accessibility of traditional folk material. When his sister Adelheid Wette requested songs for her children based on the Grimm tale, he transformed that modest request into a full opera that would define his legacy and become a staple of the holiday concert season.

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Why we love this

Hänsel und Gretel strikes the rare balance between musical substance and pure theatrical joy. The score respects the orchestra with genuine compositional craft while never losing sight of what makes the story irresistible to audiences across every age group. Programming this work signals that your ensemble can handle Wagner-influenced orchestration while delivering an evening that families will actually want to attend.

What to expect

Humperdinck's orchestration wraps the Grimm tale in warmth and wonder. The music moves easily from darkly comic (the witch's scenes) to genuinely tender (the siblings' bond) to transcendent (the finale), all while maintaining the accessibility of the original folk material. The full orchestra becomes a character itself, painting the forest, the enchanted house, and the dream world with lush, late-Romantic colors.

Who it's for

Conductors leading community orchestras, university opera programs, and semi-professional ensembles who want to program a major work with proven audience appeal and strong educational value for both singers and instrumentalists. This score is designed for conductors who can manage a full Wagner-style orchestra and coordinate seven soloists with chorus and ensemble.

How to get the most out of it

Balance the seven vocal soloists carefully in rehearsal; the witch's alto line and the soprano siblings need distinct color and projection to cut through the full orchestra without forcing.
The instrumental interludes (particularly between acts) are orchestral showcases; give the orchestra time to breathe and shape these passages musically, as they carry narrative weight.
Attend closely to the choral writing, especially the two-part chorus work; clarity of diction in German will make the familiar fairy-tale text resonate with the audience.
The percussion and harp are essential to the opera's magical atmosphere; ensure these players understand their role in creating the Gingerbread House and dream sequences rather than simply keeping time.

How to use it

This opera is strongest as a standalone concert event or holiday season offering rather than as part of a mixed concert. Consider a winter or spring performance that capitalizes on the work's association with family audiences; the theatrical and musical demands justify a concert staging with minimal or modest sets. A performance can run the full three acts or be adapted to fit your rehearsal timeline and venue.