- Exploring the Naughty Side of the Foodie Fable -
Food -- and hunger -- take center stage in Richard Jones' stomach-growling take on "Hansel and Gretel," airing in high definition (HD) and 5.1 digital surround sound on GREAT PERFORMANCES AT THE MET Wednesday, March 26, 2008, 9:00-11:00 p.m. ET on PBS. It may not be your grandmother's idea of the 1893 Humperdinck classic, but the kids are guaranteed to eat it up.
"It's a feast for children because they transgress," says Jones, who staged a smaller-scale incarnation of the production for Welsh National Opera and Lyric Opera of Chicago. "They're naughty, and children get to see a lot of their fears and fantasies enacted. They get evicted from their home, but they get to gorge themselves on sweets."
Also winning kiddie kudos: a really big food fight in Act III.
"The twitters and applause from the children in the audience suggest that Mr. Jones may have a good reading of his target audience," cheered The New York Times. The paper also called the production "intriguing" and "a treat."
In addition to its March 26 primetime premiere, "Hansel and Gretel" also launches the weekly GREAT PERFORMANCES AT THE MET Sunday afternoon telecasts on PBS HD. The program is sung in an English translation by David Pountney and features British mezzo soprano Alice Coote and German soprano Christine Schafer in the title roles. Acclaimed British tenor Philip Langridge, in his first comic role at the Met since his 1985 debut in Mozart's Cosi Fan Tutte, sings the Witch, who, in an unexpected detour into her (his) oven, ends up toast. Vladimir Jurowski conducts.
Most startling in Jones' concept is his substitution of the opera's traditional settings (family home, forest, Witch's house) with an array of various kitchens and acting styles. While Act I remains fairly realistic, Act II moves into a German Expressionistic style, redolent of Frank Wedekind's Spring Awakening. Act III is pure Theatre of the Absurd, inspired by the English pantomimes Jones saw as a child in London.
"In each of these there was always a 'slop scene,' where the food was thrown about and people got very messy," he says. "A lot of memories of seeing those went into the production."
Heavily influenced by the concepts and techniques of German music drama (Humperdinck was a devoted Wagnerian), Hansel and Gretel was its creator's first opera and remains the one for which he is remembered today. Its overture, "Dream Pantomime," "Gingerbread Waltz" and orchestral "Witch's Ride" have kept the work a repertory staple, racking up nearly 250 performances at the Met alone.
With a libretto by Humperdinck's sister Adelheid, it had its world premiere at Weimar December 23, 1893, conducted by composer Richard Strauss ("It's devilishly difficult, this little Hansel"). Hansel and Gretel debuted at the Met in 1905 and was the first complete opera to air in the regular radio broadcasts for the house, on Christmas Day 1931.
GREAT PERFORMANCES AT THE MET "Hansel and Gretel" is directed for television by Barbara Willis Sweete. Jay Saks is audio producer. It was recorded on stage at the house January 1, 2008. John Macfarlane designed the darkly amusing sets and costumes, Jennifer Tipton the lighting. Linda Dobell is the choreographer.
Completing the cast are mezzo soprano Rosalind Plowright as Gertrude, the children's mother; baritone Alan Held as Peter, their father; mezzo Sasha Cooke as the Sandman; and soprano Lisette Oropesa as the Dew Fairy.
GREAT PERFORMANCES underwriters: Irene Diamond Fund, National Endowment for the Arts, Corporation for Public Broadcasting, Public Television Viewers and PBS. GREAT PERFORMANCES AT THE MET underwriters: Toll Brothers. Special funding for this telecast provided by The Herman Lissner Foundation.
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