CHAN 3143(2)

yyipyip.inddipyip.indd 1 330/4/070/4/07 10:01:1610:01:16 Engelbert Humperdinck (1854 –1921) Hansel and Gretel Märchenspiel (fairy-tale) in three acts Libretto by Adelheid Wette after a fairy-tale © Lebrecht Music & Arts Library Photo Music © Lebrecht by the Brothers Grimm, English translation by David Pountney

Hansel Jennifer Larmore mezzo-soprano Gretel, his sister Rebecca Evans soprano Gertrude, their Mother Rosalind Plowright mezzo-soprano Peter, their Father Robert Hayward baritone The Witch Jane Henschel mezzo-soprano The Dew Fairy Sarah Tynan soprano The Sandman Diana Montague mezzo-soprano The Cuckoo Sarah Coppen

New London Children’s Choir Ronald Corp chorus master Philharmonia Orchestra Gareth Hancock assistant conductor Sir Charles Mackerras Engelbert Humperdinck with Hansel and Gretel Caricature by Oscar Garvens

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CCHANHAN 3143(2)3143(2) Book.inddBook.indd 2-32-3 330/4/070/4/07 10:02:1810:02:18 COMPACT DISC ONE Time Page Time Page

13 1 Overture 7:39 [p. 76] ‘Gretel, I think we’ve lost the way’ 4:18 [p. 87] Hansel, Gretel, voices 14 Act I ‘I am the little sandman’ 2:39 [p. 88] Sandman, Hansel, Gretel 2 ‘Goosey goosey gander, the mouse in the straw’ 2:57 [p. 76] 15 ‘Where each child lays down its head’ 3:24 [p. 89] 3 ‘Down with the dumps, out with the grumps’ 2:40 [p. 77] Gretel, Hansel 4 ‘Little brother dance with me’ 3:39 [p. 78] 16 Pantomime 5:01 [p. 89] Gretel, Hansel TT 58:49 5 ‘Hansel!’ 2:15 [p. 79] Mother, Gretel, Hansel COMPACT DISC TWO 6 ‘My jug all in bits’ 1:40 [p. 80] Mother Act III 7 ‘Ral-la-la-la, ral-la-la-la, light the fi re’ 6:27 [p. 81] 1 [Introduction] 2:43 [p. 90] 8 ‘But wait, say where are the children?’ 3:01 [p. 83] 2 ‘When dew drops on the daisy’ 1:40 [p. 90] 9 ‘But there’s one, a crone, who lives alone’ 2:35 [p. 84] Dew Fairy, Gretel Father, Mother 3 ‘I slept here? On a pine-tree bed!’ 5:22 [p. 90] 4 ‘Keep still! No sound!’ 4:11 [p. 91] 10 Prelude to Act II: The Witches’ Ride 4:17 [p. 85] Gretel, Hansel Act II 5 ‘Greedy little mousey, who’s nibbling at my housey?’ 2:00 [p. 92] 11 ‘A dwarf stood in the forest’ 2:53 [p. 85] Witch, Hansel, Gretel Gretel, Hansel 6 ‘Hansel, don’t be so greedy’ 5:11 [p. 93] 12 ‘Cuckoo, cuckoo’ 3:16 [p. 86] Gretel, Hansel, Witch Cuckoo, Hansel, Gretel

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CCHANHAN 3143(2)3143(2) Book.inddBook.indd 4-54-5 330/4/070/4/07 10:02:2110:02:21 Time Page

7 ‘Stop! Hocus pocus, witch’s ground’ 1:17 [p. 95] Witch

8 ‘Now Gretel, you’re the sensible one’ 5:23 [p. 95] 2007 Bergman © Beth Witch, Gretel, Hansel 9 ‘So hopp hopp hopp, galopp lopp lopp’ 1:32 [p. 97] Witch 10 ‘Now wake up, it’s time to eat’ 3:51 [p. 97] Witch, Gretel, Hansel 11 ‘Hoorah! Now that the witch is dead’ 2:40 [p. 99] Gretel, Hansel 12 ‘The dead arise, but cannot see’ 4:05 [p. 99] Gingerbread Children, Gretel, Hansel, Father 13 ‘Father! Mother!’ 2:16 [p. 101] Gretel, Hansel, Mother, Father, Gingerbread Children TT 42:19

Jennifer Larmore as Hansel in the Metropolitan Opera’s production of Hansel and Gretel

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CCHANHAN 3143(2)3143(2) Book.inddBook.indd 6-76-7 330/4/070/4/07 10:02:2210:02:22 On session: Sir Charles Mackerras On session: Jennifer Larmore and Rebecca Evans

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CCHANHAN 3143(2)3143(2) Book.inddBook.indd 8-98-9 330/4/070/4/07 10:02:2310:02:23 Humperdinck’s musical version of Grimm’s scary fairy-tale has caught the imagination of generations – children and adults alike. So we were delighted to assemble a wizard cast under the baton of Sir Charles Mackerras to conjure up (in English!) all the magic and menace of this fabulous score. Spellbinding!

Sir Peter Moores, CBE, DL June 2007

Sir Peter Moores with a portrait of Admiral Lord Nelson by Lemuel Francis Abbott, acquired for Compton Verney © Lyndon Parker 10 11

CCHANHAN 3143(2)3143(2) Book.inddBook.indd 10-1110-11 330/4/070/4/07 10:02:2810:02:28 orally reproduced folk stories would, within that their mother/stepmother has in the Hansel, Gretel and Humperdinck a generation or two, lose their currency and meantime died. eventually disappear. The Brothers Grimm It doesn’t take much of a Freudian to pick It’s sometimes asked whether Hansel and Gretel are suitable for children – or even for adults. and their followers saved a good deal of this up on the unstated connection in this dark is really an opera for children or an opera for Humperdinck’s opera has a good deal of material from being lost forever. little tale between the mother/stepmother adults. The answer, of course, is that it’s for comedy in it, several comforting moments and Hansel and Gretel appeared in the very fi rst fi gure and the witch, especially given the both. Children will enjoy its straightforward an offi cially Happy Ending, but there has been edition of their tales. It is an even crueller demise of the former at roughly the same songs and singing games, its rampaging a hefty sprinkling of disturbing elements along story than the adaptation of it made by time as the latter. This psychological comic–grotesque witch with her monstrous the way. In fairy-tales, there usually is – Humperdinck’s sister, Adelheid Wette, which relationship is highlighted in performances eating habits, and its supernatural apparitions, especially in Grimm’s fairy tales. eventually became his most famous opera. of the opera in which the two roles are sung culminating in the Dream Pantomime sequence The German brothers Jacob Ludwig Hansel and Gretel’s father and mother (the by the same singer, though that was not which, in traditional productions, features (1785 – 1863) and Wilhelm Carl Grimm latter metamorphosed into the slightly less Humperdinck’s intention and is not followed fourteen angels who descend a staircase (1786 – 1859) were distinguished academics upsetting stepmother in the second and on this recording. Another performance to watch over the children asleep in the and, before the term was coined, folklorists. subsequent editions) are so poor that they tradition, especially common in Germany, nocturnal forest. But then the child in us They published important volumes on agree to ‘lose’ their children in the forest in is to have the role of the witch sung by a all will also enjoy these things. In addition, German grammar, vocabulary and usage, order to have enough food for themselves to tenor in drag. They’re both interesting ideas, adults will probably relish Humperdinck’s but their most famous work was the jointly eat. It is the mother who comes up with this though obviously mutually exclusive. That the rich orchestration and subtle harmony, his collected and edited Kinder- und Hausmärchen idea and persuades her reluctant spouse to go Wette/Humperdinck version not only allows consistently strong melodic invention and his of 1812, which has come down to modern along with it. Hansel’s cleverness saves him Gertrud to live but to rejoice in the reunion masterly counterpoint, and his amazing variety generations as the frequently reprinted Grimm’s and his sister on the fi rst attempt (he drops with her children gives their ending a warm- of mood and texture, veering from near- Fairy Tales. Before their time, only a small shiny pebbles along the path, enabling them heartedness that is as profound in its way as Wagnerian complexity to a Johann Strauss-like number of what we now know as fairy tales to return the same way), but on the second the grim Grimm version, and clearly more exuberance and danciness. But then children – had been published in any language, but the he uses breadcrumbs, and of course the birds likely to ensure stage popularity. even if they’ve never heard of Wagner or success of their version encouraged many other eat them. Thoroughly lost, they discover the Humperdinck’s opera belongs to a counterpoint – will at least unconsciously collections to be made throughout Europe, witch’s house and its owner, and despatch her sub-category of German opera called the register these pleasurably, too. It’s an opera for spawning a new and highly infl uential literary more or less as in the opera (though without Märchenoper, or in this instance Märchenspiel everybody. genre. They were timely, too, in that profound releasing any gingerbread children), then (literally ‘fairy-tale play’: as we shall see, A harder question to answer is whether this changes in European society during the somehow manage to fi nd their way home, Hansel and Gretel was not originally an particular fairy-tale, or fairy-tales in general, nineteenth century meant that many of these where they are undoubtedly relieved to fi nd opera at all). The tradition developed in the

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CCHANHAN 3143(2)3143(2) Book.inddBook.indd 12-1312-13 330/4/070/4/07 10:02:3110:02:31 wake of the revival of interest in the folk or Adelheid Wette’s original request to her The likeliest reason for its lack of wider Rheinberger and Lachner, and won a series of fairy-tale instigated by the Brothers Grimm, brother was merely for settings of songs for success is that its tone is so much darker than prizes. Even more important was his meeting and reached its full fl owering in the late- a play based on Hansel and Gretel (some of that of Hansel and Gretel. The ‘royal children’ in 1880 with Richard Wagner, which led to an nineteenth and early-twentieth centuries. A the simpler passages in the opera, including of the title – their symbolic nobility is not invitation to Bayreuth, where Humperdinck number of composers specialised in it, notably those that draw on actual folksongs, refl ect inherited in the case of one of the pair, but in acted as Wagner’s musical assistant in the Humperdinck himself, who also went to these beginnings). Later on the piece was some mysterious sense innate – are dead by the preparation of the fi rst performances of the Brothers Grimm for Die sieben Geislein expanded into a Singspiel, or opera with end. Perhaps audiences prefer happy endings Parsifal in 1882. (The Seven Young Kids) in 1895, to the dialogue. The fi nal stage was a further after all. Judging from the quality of these two His own career combined periods as a earlier French fairy-tale collector Perrault for expansion into a through-composed opera, works, it seems probable that we ignore the teacher and critic, but his fortunes changed Dornröschen (The Sleeping Beauty) in 1902, with some substantial orchestral sections. The rest of Humperdinck’s output to our loss. Like with the success of his fairy-tale opera Hansel and to an invented folk-tale by Ernst Rosmer miracle is that the end-result is so consistent. other ‘one-opera composers’ such as Mascagni and Gretel, which reached the stage just (pseudonym of the dramatist Else Bernstein- So skilful are Humperdinck’s transitions that and Leoncavallo, he was the victim of his before Christmas 1893. Its reception was Porges, who survived the concentration camp no joins are noticeable. It’s a perfect example fi rst success. Everyone simply wanted another spectacular – within a year at least seventy- of Terezín, dying in 1949 at the age of 82) of his mentor Wagner’s dictum that the art of Hansel and Gretel. That too is understandable. two theatres had taken the work up – and it for Königskinder (fi nal version 1910). The composition is the art of transition. Richard Strauss hailed the score as a has gone on to become a permanent feature other major exponent was Richard Wagner’s Interestingly, Königskinder (Royal masterpiece as soon as he read it through; and of the operatic repertoire. son Siegfried (1869–1930), who was himself Children), Humperdinck’s second best-known he knew a good thing when he saw one. Thereafter he continued to produce operas, infl uenced by Humperdinck. Several of his opera, developed along similar lines, being But Humperdinck nevertheless enjoyed a mainly comic or written in the fairy-tale eighteen operas are Märchenopern, a genre initially conceived as incidental music to a long and distinguished career as a composer tradition of which Hansel and Gretel remains he explored not for escapist fantasy but as a play in 1894. This was subsequently reworked and teacher. A brief résumé may be in order. the most signifi cant example. In 1910 the means of dealing with diffi cult moral and (1897) as a melodrama (i.e. speech over music), He was born in Siegburg, near Cologne, New York Metropolitan gave the premiere emotional issues. Recent revivals of pieces such utilising the technique of Sprechgesang – in 1854. He started piano lessons at seven of his Königskinder – a fact that on its own as Schwarzschwanenreich (The Kingdom of later taken up by Schoenberg and Berg, in and after seeing his fi rst opera at the age of demonstrates his huge international renown the Black Swan, 1910) and Der Friedensengel which the words are notated exactly from a fourteen began to compose his own. Though at the time. His next major work took him (The Angel of Peace, 1914) show him to have rhythmical point of view, but left much more Engelbert’s father opposed his musical to London, and was written at the request sometimes had an individual and worthwhile vague as to pitch – before going on to achieve ambitions, he allowed him to enrol at the of the great theatre director Max Reinhardt. voice of his own, unfortunately drowned out its fi nal form as a full-scale opera in 1910. Cologne Conservatory when he was eighteen. Based on a medieval legend turned into a by the tremendous noise made by his much Königskinder is not often revived, but when it He studied conscientiously for several drama by Karl Vollmöller, the spectacular greater father. is the score proves to be rich and fascinating. years with minor masters such as Hiller, The Miracle, premiered in the exhibition

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CCHANHAN 3143(2)3143(2) Book.inddBook.indd 14-1514-15 330/4/070/4/07 10:02:3210:02:32 halls at Olympia in 1911, and to which tandem with Mozart’s early comedy Bastien Synopsis by baking them alive! They rush off together to Humperdinck contributed an accompanying and Bastienne. Later on it moved to the look for the children. score, told the story of a nun who deserts her Princess’s Theatre, then to the Savoy. Covent COMPACT DISC ONE order to experience life, but fi nds on returning Garden audiences fi rst heard it in 1896, Act II penitent that she has not been missed when it was again sung in English. In 1923, 1 Overture In the forest because her place has been taken by the it became the fi rst opera to be broadcast in Act I 10 Prelude. 11 – 12 In the woods Gretel is Virgin Mary. Reinhardt’s production, which Europe when the English-language British In the broom-maker’s house making a garland of fl owers, while Hansel involved thousands of performers nightly, was National Opera Company performance at Left at home by their parents, Hansel is at collects the wild strawberries and eats them. revived in New York in 1924 and has been Covent Garden was relayed by the BBC. work for his father making brooms while his When the strawberries have all been eaten the fi lmed twice. Humperdinck’s other works The work received its American premiere sister Gretel knits stockings. 2 – 4 Gretel children begin to search for more, but it has include incidental music for plays (notably at Daly’s Theatre in New York on 8 October distracts her brother by singing a song; Hansel grown dark 13 and they realise that they are a Shakespeare sequence again written for 1895, again sung in English. It entered joins in, and soon the two are singing and lost. A thick mist rises and the children become Reinhardt), choral pieces, songs and chamber the repertoire of the Metropolitan on dancing. 5 – 6 When their mother Gertrude frightened, 14 but the mist clears to reveal a music. He died in Neustrelitz, not far from 25 November 1905 (the composer attended returns, she makes an angry scene at how little little Sandman, who sprinkles sleeping dust in Berlin, in 1921. the fi rst performance), and on Christmas work the children have done and accidentally the children’s eyes. 15 After they have said their It was Richard Strauss – a great opera Day 1931 became the fi rst opera to be knocks over the jug of milk. Furious, she sends evening prayer they fall asleep together. The conductor as well as a great opera composer – broadcast live from the Met, once more the children out to pick wild strawberries from mist envelops them and becomes a staircase of who conducted the fi rst performance of sung in English. Highly successful recent the forest, before sitting down and falling clouds, and fourteen angels descend to guard Hansel and Gretel at the Court Theatre productions in the UK have included David asleep, exhausted. the children through the night. 16 Pantomime. in Weimar the night before Christmas Pountney’s version for English National Eve in 1893. On Boxing Day 1894, it Opera, which opened at the London 7 The children’s father, Peter, comes home in COMPACT DISC TWO was performed for the fi rst time in the Coliseum on 16 December 1987 and was a triumphant mood. He has managed to sell all United Kingdom, at Daly’s Theatre in fi rst conducted by Mark Elder, and Richard his brooms and has brought home food. The Act III London, when it was presented in English. Jones’s staging for Welsh National Opera, parents dance happily round the room. 8 – 9 The gingerbread house Given a theatrical run, it reached its 100th which was fi rst conducted by Vladimir When Peter learns that the children are not at 1 Introduction. 2 – 3 As dawn breaks, the performance there the following April. Jurowski and opened at the New Theatre, home, and have been sent into the wood to Dew Fairy comes to wake the children, shaking When Daly’s was needed for another show, Cardiff, on 10 December 1998. pick berries, he is horrifi ed: the forest is the dew drops over them. 4 As they play, the Hansel and Gretel transferred to the Gaiety, home of the Witch, who lures children into mist clears and they see a gingerbread cottage where it was presented in matinées in © 2007 George Hall her cottage only to turn them into gingerbread surrounded by a fence of gingerbread fi gures.

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CCHANHAN 3143(2)3143(2) Book.inddBook.indd 16-1716-17 330/4/070/4/07 10:02:3410:02:34 5 – 6 As they pick at the gingerbread the for her performances in the coloratura Jennifer Larmore has made over seventy (Sweeney Todd ). A regular guest at the Bayerische witch sneaks up on them and throws a rope roles of the baroque and bel canto. She has recordings to date, something which has Staatsoper, Munich, her roles there have around Hansel’s neck. 7 – 9 As he tries been particularly associated with the role earned her the distinction of being the most included Nannetta conducted by Zubin Mehta, to break free, the witch casts a spell on the of Rosina (The Barber of Seville) which she recorded mezzo-soprano of all time. These Sophie (Der Rosenkavalier), Zdenka (Arabella), children. She locks Hansel in the stable and has performed at the Metropolitan Opera, recordings include a disc of Great Operatic Servilia (La clemenza di Tito), Ilia (Idomeneo) sends Gretel indoors to set the table. 10 But the Staatsoper in Berlin, in Bonn, Paris, San Arias for Chandos’ Opera in English series, as and Susanna (Le nozze di Figaro). She has sung Gretel has remembered the witch’s spell and Francisco and Buenos Aires. well as Lucia di Lammermoor, Julius Caesar, Ilia for the Netherlands Opera and Opéra de uses it to free her brother. Other roles include Giovanna Seymour Orfeo, The Barber of Seville, La Cenerentola, Lausanne; the title role in The Cunning Little The witch asks Gretel to check the oven, but (Anna Bolena) in Nice; Mélisande (Pelléas et and, for Opera Rara, L’incoronazione di Poppea, Vixen for Scottish Opera; Pamina, Susanna, Ilia, Gretel pretends to be stupid and asks the witch Mélisande) in Marseilles; Isolier (Le Comte Bianca e Falliero, Elisabetta regina d’Inghilterra, Marzellina (Fidelio), Norina (Don Pasquale) and to show her what to do. Quickly the children Ory) at La Scala, Milan; Dorabella (Così Francesca di Foix, and Adelaide di Borgogna. Hero (Beatrice and Benedict) for Welsh National push her into the oven and slam the door. fan tutte) at the Salzburg Festival; Romeo In 2002 Jennifer Larmore was appointed Opera, and Romilda (Xerxes) and Ginevra 11 – 12 The oven explodes and the gingerbread (I Capuleti e i Montecchi) at New York’s a Chevalier de l’ordre des arts et des lettres in (Ariodante) for English National Opera. fi gures on the fence turn back into the children Carnegie Hall, at the Opéra de Paris-Bastille recognition of her contribution to the world She has also established a major operatic they had been before they were baked. 13 and in Geneva; The Italian Girl in Algiers at of music. career in America where she has sung Susanna Hansel and Gretel’s parents arrive, and amid the Deutsche Oper, Berlin and in Paris and and Zerlina for the Metropolitan Opera, New much happiness all discover that the witch has Vienna; Ruggiero (Alcina) with Chicago Rebecca Evans (Gretel) York; Susanna for the Santa Fe Opera; Pamina been turned into a gingerbread cake. Lyric Opera; Sesto (La clemenzo di Tito) at was born in South and Adèle (Die Fledermaus) for the Lyric Opera the Gran Teatro del Liceu in Barcelona; the Wales and studied at of Chicago; and Zerlina, Anne Trulove Originally from title role in Carmen with Washington Opera; Trenberth Sian the Guildhall School (The Rake’s Progress) and Adina (L’elisir d’amore) Atlanta, Jennifer Giulio Cesare at the Metropolitan Opera and of Music and Drama. for San Francisco Opera. Larmore (Hansel) in Madrid; the title role in Orfeo in Madrid; She received support Concert appearances include the BBC Proms studied at the Orlovsky (Die Fledermaus) in Japan and at from the Peter Moores and the Edinburgh International Festival; Gala Douglas Robertson Douglas Westminster Choir the Metropolitan Opera, Hansel (Hansel and Foundation to study Concerts with Andrea Bocelli and with Luciano College of Princeton, Gretel) at the Metropolitan Opera and the with Ronald Schneider Pavarotti; and appearances at the Melbourne New Jersey and then BBC Proms concerts; Giulietta (Les Contes in Berlin. At the International Festival. In recital, she has sung privately with John d’Hoffmann) at the Royal Opera House, Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, she has at London’s Wigmore Hall and the Barcelona, Bullock and Regina Covent Garden, and the title role in La sung Pamina (Die Zauberfl öte), Zerlina (Don Ravinia, Buxton, Belfast and Beaulieu-sur Mer Resnik. She is famous Cenerentola at the Metropolitan Opera. Giovanni), Nannetta (Falstaff ) and Johanna Festivals.

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CCHANHAN 3143(2)3143(2) Book.inddBook.indd 18-1918-19 330/4/070/4/07 10:02:3610:02:36 Recordings include Marzellina (Fidelio), Rosalind Plowright returned to Covent Opera in a wide repertoire including Wotan (Elektra) for the San Pamina (The Magic Flute), Susanna Garden for Sweeney Todd and made her debut and the Wanderer in the Ring, Amfortas Francisco Opera; (The Marriage of Figaro) and Ilia (Idomeneo) in the Maggio Musicale in Firenze in two (Parsifal), Jokanaan (Salome), Figaro and the Principessa (Suor for Chandos’ Opera in English series, as well operas by Luigi Dallapiccola. Recordings Count Almaviva (Le nozze di Figaro), the Angelica) with the as Nannetta (Falstaff ) with Sir John Eliot include Queen Elizabeth I (Mary Stuart), title roles in The Flying Dutchman, Mazeppa, Royal Concertgebouw Gardiner, a series of Gilbert and Sullivan Desdemona (Otello) and Amneris (Aida) for Saul, Eugene Onegin and Don Giovanni, Iago Orchestra and Chailly; recordings with Sir Charles Mackerras and a Chandos’ Opera in English series, as well as (Otello), Ford (Falstaff ), Scarpia (Tosca), Dialogues des Carmélites solo recording of Italian songs. She also sang La forza del destino alongside José Carreras, Marcello (La bohème), Escamillo (Carmen), in Amsterdam; the Belinda in the fi lm of Dido and Aeneas (also Il trovatore alongside Placido Domingo, Nick Shadow (The Rake’s Progress), Golaud Kostelnicˇka (Jenu˚fa) released on Chandos), and hosted her own Mendelssohn’s Elijah (for Chandos), La Vestale, (Pelléas et Mélisande) and Wotan/Wanderer in under Ozawa in Japan, BBC television series ‘A Touch of Classics’ with Les Contes d’Hoffmann, and Mahler’s Second English National Opera’s Ring cycle. and the Kabanicka (Katya Kabanova) for the the BBC National Orchestra of Wales. Symphony. Concert engagements have included Salzburg Festival. Belshazzar’s Feast, Tippett’s The Mask of For The Royal Opera, Covent Garden Rosalind Plowright Robert Hayward (the Time, Mendelssohn’s Elijah, Beethoven’s she has sung Fricka and Waltraute, Ul rica (the Mother) has Father) studied at the Ninth Symphony and Haydn’s Creation, The (Un ballo in maschera), Klytemnestra, Mrs performed in virtually Guildhall School of Dream of Gerontius, Mozart’s Requiem, and Grose (The Turn of the Screw); at La Scala, Fritz Curzon Fritz Fritz Curzon Fritz every major opera Music and Drama and Das klagende Lied and Lieder eines fahrenden Milan she has sung Herodias (Salome), house in the world at the National Opera Gesellen. Recordings include Dr Schön (Lulu) and Cassandre (Les Troyens). Her roles at including new Studio, and made his as part of Chandos’ Opera in English series, the Bavarian State Opera, Munich include productions at Covent professional opera and The Pilgrim’s Progress, also for Chandos. Herodias, Klytemnestra, Ulrica, Mistress Garden, English debut singing the title Quickly (Falstaff ) and Ortrud (Lohengrin); National Opera, in role in Don Giovanni Jane Henschel (the Witch) was born in at the Deutsche Oper, Berlin Klytemnestra, Paris, Hamburg, for Glyndebourne Wisconsin, studied at the University of Herodias and Ortrud , and at the Vienna Frankfurt, Munich, Berlin, at the Vienna Touring Opera. He has performed at the Royal Southern California and subsequently moved State Opera Klytemnestra, Fricka and Mistress State Opera, in Athens, at the Metropolitan Opera House, English National Opera, Welsh to Germany. Roles include Baba the Turk Quickly. It is the Amme (Die Frau ohne Opera, in San Francisco, Dallas, Houston, San National Opera, Opera North, Scottish Opera, (The Rake’s Progress) at Glyndebourne, Saito Schatten) which has become her signature role, Diego, Carnegie Hall, La Scala Milan, Verona, Glyndebourne Festival and Touring Opera, Kinen and Salzburg Festivals; Brangäne which she has sung in Amsterdam, London, Florence, La Fenice, Barcelona, Buenos Aires Bayerische Staatsoper Munich, Houston Grand (Tristan and Isolde) for the Los Angeles Los Angeles, Munich, Paris, Vienna, Berlin and and Santiago. Opera, New Israeli Opera, and Minnesota Opera and the Paris Opéra; Klytemnestra at the Metropolitan Opera.

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CCHANHAN 3143(2)3143(2) Book.inddBook.indd 20-2120-21 330/4/070/4/07 10:02:3810:02:38 Jane Henschel’s recordings include Krasa’s of Russia; and Elsie Maynard (The Yeomen of National Opera; Albert Herring, Cherubino Corp in 1991 with the aim of introducing Verlobung im Traum, The Rake’s Progress, the Guard) and Gianetta (The Gondoliers) for (Le nozze di Figaro) and Andromaca in children to the challenges and fun of singing Albéniz’ Merlin, Britten’s The Turn of the Screw, Phoenix Opera. Rossini’s Ermione at Glyndebourne; Le Comte and performing all types of music. The Choir and Mahler’s Eighth Symphony. She has recorded the roles of Sister Ory in Lausanne, Rome and Glyndebourne; has made dozens of recordings and broadcasts, Constance (The Carmelites) and Barbarina Proserpina in Monteverdi’s Orfeo in and has been invited to appear at many major Sarah Tynan (the Dew (The Marriage of Figaro) for Chandos’ Opera Amsterdam; Ariadne auf Naxos in Lisbon; festivals. Fairy) was born in in English series. Marguerite (La Damnation de Faust) in Highlights of the Choir’s concert activities

John Clark John London and studied Vienna and Geneva; Minerva have included Mahler Symphony No. 8 with at the Royal Northern Diana Montague (the (Il ritorno d’Ulisse in patria) in Amsterdam and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at the College of Music and Sandman) was born in Sydney; Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg at the Royal Albert Hall, Mahler’s Third Symphony the Royal Academy of Winchester and studied Royal Opera House Covent Garden, Junon with the London Symphony Orchestra at the Mike Hoban Mike Music (with Penelope at the Royal Northern in Rameau’s Platée with The Royal Opera Barbican, Carmina Burana with the Royal Mackay). At the Royal College of Music. Since at the Edinburgh Festival and in London, Philharmonic Orchestra at the Royal Festival Academy she was her debut as Zerlina and Octavian (Der Rosenkavalier) at English Hall and with The Bach Choir at the Royal awarded the Queen’s with Glyndebourne National Opera, in Bilbao and at the Teatro Festival Hall, and three Blue Peter Proms. Commendation for Excellence. Touring Opera she has Real in Madrid; The extensive discography of the New Since joining English National Opera as a appeared at the Royal Diana Montague’s many recordings London Children’s Choir encompasses Company Principal her roles have included Opera House, Covent include Monteverdi’s Orfeo, I Capuleti e i Turandot and Carmen as part of Chandos’ Tytania (A Midsummer Night’s Dream), Garden, the Metropolitan Opera in New York, Montecchi, Norma, Iphigénie en Tauride; for Opera in English series, Tchaikovsky’s Papagena (The Magic Flute), Iphis (Jephtha), the Théâtre de la Monnaie in Brussels, the Opera Rara Rosmonda d’Inghilterra, Zoraida Nutcracker, Shostakovich’s Song of the Forests, Atalanta (Xerxes), Yum-Yum (The Mikado) Opéra national de Paris-Bastille, Teatro Colón di Granata and Il crociato in Egitto; and, as Prokofi ev’s Ivan the Terrible, and Britten’s and Sister Constance (The Carmelites). Other in Buenos Aires and the Bayreuth and Salzburg part of Chandos’ Opera in English series, St Nicolas. operatic engagements include Tytania for La Festivals. Cherubino (The Marriage of Figaro), Idamante Monnaie Brussels; Bella (The Midsummer Her repertory includes the major roles for (Idomeneo), Cavalleria rusticana, Octavian in One of the world’s great orchestras, the Marriage) for St Endellion Festival with mezzo-soprano in operas by Mozart, Gluck, Der Rosenkavalier (highlights), Faust, and two Philharmonia Orchestra is now in its tenth Richard Hickox; Pretty Polly in Birtwistle’s Strauss, Rossini, Bellini and Berlioz, and recital discs of Great Operatic Arias. season with renowned German maestro Punch and Judy at the Teatro Nacional San engagements have included Benvenuto Cellini Christoph von Dohnányi as Principal João in Porto; the Governess in Britten’s The with Rome Opera; Iphigénie en Tauride The New London Children’s Choir was Conductor. That post was fi rst held by Otto Turn of the Screw for a British Council tour in Buenos Aires, Madrid and with Welsh launched by its Musical Director Ronald Klemperer, and the Orchestra has since had

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CCHANHAN 3143(2)3143(2) Book.inddBook.indd 22-2322-23 330/4/070/4/07 10:02:4110:02:41 important collaborations with Lorin Maazel (as Proms. As the world’s most recorded symphony love for Janácˇek winning cycle of the Janácˇek operas with the Associate Principal Conductor), Riccardo Muti orchestra, with over 1000 releases to its credit, commenced in 1947 Vienna Philharmonic in the early 1980s. For (as Principal Conductor and Music Director), among these a number of television and feature on hearing Katya Chandos he has recorded Janácˇek Glagolitic Giuseppe Sinopoli (as Music Director) and, fi lm soundtracks, the Philharmonia Orchestra Kabanova conducted Mass in the original version and Kodály’s currently, Kurt Sanderling (as Conductor enjoys a worldwide reputation. The discography by the great Václav Psalmus Hungaricus. As part of the Opera Emeritus), Vladimir Ashkenazy (as Conductor includes, for Opera Rara, several recital discs Talich. in English series he has recorded Osud, La Laureate) and Sir Charles Mackerras (as as well as numerous complete operas, and As an assistant traviata, Werther, Julius Caesar, Mary Stuart, Principal Guest Conductor), besides such for Chandos, in the Opera in English series conductor at Sadler’s Eugene Onegin, Jenu˚fa, The Magic Flute, The eminent fi gures as Wilhelm Furtwängler, sponsored by the Peter Moores Foundation, Wells in 1951 he gave Bartered Bride and The Makropulkos Case. Richard Strauss, Arturo Toscanini, Guido The Marriage of Figaro, The Thieving Magpie, the fi rst performance Sir Charles has also undertaken much Cantelli, Herbert von Karajan and Carlo Wozzeck, Don Giovanni, The Elixir of Love, of Katya Kabanova in the English-speaking research into the music of the eighteenth Maria Giulini. It continues to engage world- Lucia of Lammermoor, Faust, Carmen, Aida, world. Later he introduced The Makropulos century, particularly Handel and Mozart. He class conductors and soloists, and attracts La Bohème, Madam Butterfl y, Turandot, Case and From the House of the Dead at has recorded a series of Mozart and Gilbert Europe’s most talented young players to join its the award-winning Tosca and solo recital Sadler’s Wells and continued conducting and Sullivan operas as well as a complete orchestral ranks. albums of operatic arias with Bruce Ford, highly successful productions of Janácˇek’s series of Mozart, Beethoven and Brahms Resident Orchestra at the Royal Festival Diana Montague, Dennis O’Neill, Alastair operas as well as more standard repertoire Symphonies, several oratorios by Handel Hall, it maintains a central position in British Miles, Yvonne Kenny and John Tomlinson. when he became Musical Director of English and symphonies by Mahler and Elgar. He is musical life also through regional residencies The Philharmonia Orchestra continues to National Opera (1970 – 77) and for Welsh at present Principal Guest Conductor of the which provide an ideal opportunity to expand consolidate its international renown through National Opera when he became their Philharmonia Orchestra, Conductor Laureate a dynamic educational and community-based regular tours and through prestigious Musical Director (1987 – 1992). He has been of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and programme. Winner of numerous awards, it residencies at the Châtelet Théâtre Musical in a pioneer in the dissemination of the music Conductor Emeritus of Welsh National Opera has garnered unanimous critical acclaim for its Paris, the Megaron in Athens and the Lincoln of Janácˇek throughout the capitals of Europe and the San Francisco Opera. innovative programming policy, at the heart Center for the Performing Arts in New York. and in the USA and Australia. Jenu˚fa has been Sir Charles received a CBE in 1974, of which is a commitment to performing and a particular favourite. was knighted in 1979, honoured with the commissioning new music by today’s leading Sir Charles Mackerras studied at the Sydney He has had a long association with the Medal of Merit from the Czech Republic in composers. Conservatorium of Music and came to Czech Philharmonic and recorded most of 1996 and made a Companion of the Order An increasing number of the Orchestra’s England in 1947. He gained a British Council Janácˇek’s orchestral works with them as well of Australia in 1997. In 2003 he became concerts are being broadcast by BBC Radio 3, Scholarship to study further at the Academy as Katya Kabanova and Dvorˇák’s Rusalka. a Companion of Honour in the Queen’s including its annual performance at the BBC of Music in Prague. His great interest and Included in his vast discography is an award- Birthday Honours.

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CCHANHAN 3143(2)3143(2) Book.inddBook.indd 24-2524-25 330/4/070/4/07 10:02:4310:02:43 British philanthropist Sir Peter Moores established the Peter Moores Foundation in 1964 to University (providing the lead donation which paved the way for the development of the realise his charitable aims and, to fulfi ll one of these, the Compton Verney House Trust in Said Business School). 1993 to create a new art gallery in the country. Through his charities he has disbursed many millions to a wide variety of arts, environmental and social causes ‘to get things done and In 1993 the Foundation bought Compton Verney, a Grade I Georgian mansion in open doors for people’. Warwickshire, designed by Robert Adam, with grounds by Capability Brown. Compton Verney House Trust was set up by Sir Peter to transform the derelict mansion into a world- Sir Peter’s philanthropic work began with his passion for opera: in his twenties he helped a class art gallery that would provide an especially welcoming environment for the ‘fi rst-time’ number of young artists in the crucial, early stages of their careers, several of whom – Dame gallery visitor. The gallery, which houses six permanent collections, a Learning Centre for all Joan Sutherland, Sir Colin Davis and the late Sir Geraint Evans amongst them – became ages, and facilities for major visiting exhibitions, was opened in March 2004 by HRH the world-famous. Prince of Wales. The Compton Verney website can be found at: www.comptonverney.org.uk

Today, the Peter Moores Foundation supports talented young singers with scholarships, Sir Peter Moores was born in Lancashire and educated at Eton College and Christ Church, has made it possible for Chandos Records to issue the world’s largest catalogue of operas Oxford. He was a student at the Vienna Academy of Music, where he produced the Austrian recorded in English translation, and enabled Opera Rara to record rare bel canto repertoire premiere of Benjamin Britten’s The Rape of Lucretia, and at the same time was an assistant which would otherwise remain inaccessible to the general public. producer with the Vienna State Opera, working with Viennese artists in Naples, Geneva and Rome, before returning to England in 1957 to join his father’s business, Littlewoods. He In live performance, the Foundation has encouraged the creation of new work and schemes was Vice-Chairman of Littlewoods in 1976, Chairman from 1977 to 1980 and remained a to attract new audiences, fi nanced the publication of scores, especially for world premieres director until 1993. of modern operas, and enabled rarely heard works to be staged by British opera companies and festivals. He received the Gold Medal of the Italian Republic in 1974, an Honorary MA from Christ Church, Oxford, in 1975, and was made an Honorary Member of the Royal Northern Projects supported by the Foundation to help the young have ranged from a scheme College of Music in 1985. In 1992 he was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant of Lancashire by to encourage young Afro-Caribbeans ‘stay at school’ for further education, to the HM the Queen. He was appointed CBE in 1991 and received a Knighthood in 2003 for his endowment of a Faculty Directorship and Chair of Management Studies at Oxford charitable services to the arts.

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CCHANHAN 3143(2)3143(2) Book.inddBook.indd 26-2726-27 330/4/070/4/07 10:02:4610:02:46 die auch in moderner Zeit noch unter dem sind so arm, daß sie beschließen, die Kinder Hänsel, Gretel und Humperdinck Titel Grimms Märchen weithin bekannt sind im Wald zu “verlieren”, um wenigstens für und immer wieder neu aufgelegt werden. sich selbst genug Nahrung zum Überleben Es wird gelegentlich gefragt, ob Hänsel – selbst wenn sie noch nie etwas von Wagner Vor ihrer Zeit war auch in anderen Sprachen zu haben. Diese Idee hat ausgerechnet die und Gretel wirklich eine Oper für Kinder oder Kontrapunktik gehört haben – diese nur eine kleine Zahl von dem, was wir heute Mutter, die ihren widerstrebenden Gatten oder doch eher für Erwachsene ist. Die Elemente zumindest unbewußt mit Vergnügen als Märchen kennen, veröffentlicht worden, überredet, sich ihr anzuschließen. Beim Antwort lautet natürlich, daß sie für beide registrieren. Hänsel und Gretel ist wahrlich eine doch der Erfolg ihrer Bücher regte in ganz ersten Versuch werden die Kinder durch gedacht ist. Kinder erfreuen sich an den Oper für jedermann. Europa zahlreiche weitere Sammlungen an Hänsels klugen Einfall gerettet, glänzende einfachen Liedern und Singespielen, an der Schwieriger zu beantworten ist die Frage, und legte so den Grundstein zu einer neuen, Kiesel auf den Pfad zu streuen, die ihnen den tobenden komisch–grotesken Hexe mit ihren ob dieses Märchen für Kinder geeignet sehr einfl ußreichen literarischen Gattung. Weg nach Hause weisen; beim zweiten Mal monströsen Eßgewohnheiten und an den ist – oder ob Märchen im allgemeinen Dies geschah gerade noch zur rechten Zeit, jedoch benutzt er Brotkrumen, die natürlich übernatürlichen Erscheinungen, die in der für Kinder oder gar Erwachsene geeignet denn die tiefgreifenden Veränderungen, die von den Vögeln gefressen werden. Tief im Sequenz der Traumpantomime kulminieren, sind. In Humperdincks Oper steckt viel sich im 19. Jahrhundert in der europäischen Wald verirrt, entdecken sie das Hexenhaus bei der in traditionellen Inszenierungen Komödiantisches, sie enthält auch einige Gesellschaft vollzogen, führten dazu, daß viele und seine Besitzerin und befördern sie mehr vierzehn Engel eine Treppe herabsteigen, um tröstliche Momente, und sie hat ein offi zielles dieser mündlich überlieferten Volksmärchen oder weniger wie in der Oper geschildert über die im nächtlichen Wald schlafenden Happy End; in ihrem Verlauf jedoch tauchen innerhalb von ein bis zwei Generationen ins Jenseits (allerdings ohne irgendwelche Kinder zu wachen. Aber auch das Kind in eine ganze Reihe von verstörenden Elementen nicht mehr tradiert wurden und schließlich in Lebkuchenkinder zu befreien), bevor es jedem Erwachsenen wird von solchen Dingen auf. Das ist typisch für Märchen, vor allem für Vergessenheit geraten wären. Die Gebrüder ihnen gelingt, den Heimweg zu fi nden; zu beglückt sein. Erwachsene genießen zudem Märchen der Gebrüder Grimm. Grimm und ihre Nachahmer retteten ein Hause erfahren sie mit Erleichterung, daß Humperdincks reiche Orchestrierung und Die Brüder Jacob Ludwig (1785 –1863) Großteil dieses Schatzes vor dem Vergessen. ihre Mutter/Stiefmutter in der Zwischenzeit feinsinnige Harmonik, seine durchwegs und Wilhelm Carl Grimm (1786 –1859) Hänsel und Gretel erschien in der allerersten gestorben ist. ausgeprägte melodische Erfi ndungsgabe und waren eminente Gelehrte und – noch bevor Ausgabe von Grimms Märchen. Die Man muß kein großer Freudianer sein, meisterhafte Beherrschung des Kontrapunkts dieser Begriff geprägt wurde – Völkerkundler. ursprüngliche Geschichte ist noch grausamer um in dieser düsteren kleinen Geschichte sowie die erstaunliche Bandbreite von Sie veröffentlichten eine Reihe von als die von Humperdincks Schwester Adelheid die – nicht explizit erwähnte – Verbindung Stimmungen und Satztechniken, die sich grundlegenden Schriften zu Grammatik, Wette geschaffene Bearbeitung, die seine zwischen der Figur der Mutter/Stiefmutter von einer Wagnerhaften Komplexität bis Wortschatz und Gebrauch der deutschen berühmteste Oper werden sollte. Hänsel und der Hexe zu ziehen, zumal die beiden zur überbordenden Begeisterung und Sprache, ihr berühmtestes Werk waren jedoch und Gretels Vater und Mutter (aus der in ja auch etwa zur gleichen Zeit umkommen. tänzerischen Leichtigkeit eines Johann die gemeinsam gesammelten und 1812 der zweiten und späteren Ausgaben die etwas Diese psychologische Verbindung wird Strauß erstreckt. Doch auch Kinder werden herausgegebenen Kinder- und Hausmärchen, weniger verstörende Stiefmutter werden sollte) besonders in Inszenierungen betont, in

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CCHANHAN 3143(2)3143(2) Book.inddBook.indd 28-2928-29 330/4/070/4/07 10:02:4710:02:47 denen die beiden Rollen von derselben spezialisierten sich auf diese Gattung, nicht Ursprünglich hatte Adelheid Wette ihren Technik werden die Worte rhythmisch exakt Sängerin ausgeführt werden; dies war zuletzt Humperdinck selbst, der auch für Die Bruder nur darum gebeten, für ein auf Hänsel notiert, während die Tonhöhe nur vage allerdings nicht Humperdincks Intention sieben Geislein (1895) auf die Brüder Grimm und Gretel basierendes Schauspiel eine Reihe angedeutet wird. 1910 schließlich erhielt und entspricht auch nicht der Besetzung in zurückgriff, sich für seine 1902 entstandene von Liedern zu vertonen (in einigen simpleren die Komposition ihre endgültige Form als der vorliegenden Einspielung. Eine andere Oper Dornröschen an den älteren französischen Passagen der Oper – vor allem in solchen, die vollgültige Oper. Heute werden die Königskinder – besonders in Deutschland häufi g zu fi ndende Märchensammler Perrault wandte und von echten Volksliedern abgeleitet sind – sind nicht mehr oft gegeben, doch wenn das – Aufführungstradition besetzt die Rolle mit für die Königskinder (letzte Fassung 1910) diese Anfänge noch zu spüren). Später wurde Werk gespielt wird, erweist die Musik sich als einem Tenor in Frauenkleidern. Beides sind den Stoff eines Kunstmärchens von Ernst das Stück zu einem Singspiel ausgebaut, also komplex und faszinierend. Der Mangel an interessante Varianten, die sich allerdings Rosmer verarbeitete – ein Pseudonym der zu einer Oper mit gesprochenen Dialogen. Als größerem Erfolg läßt sich am ehesten damit offensichtlich gegenseitig ausschließen. Die Dramatikerin Else Bernstein-Porges, die letztes Stadium kam schließlich die Erweiterung begründen, daß der Ton dieses Werks so sehr Fassung von Wette und Humperdinck erlaubt das Konzentrationslager von Theresienstadt zu einer durchkomponierten Oper mit einigen viel düsterer ist als der von Hänsel und Gretel. Gertrud nicht nur, am Leben zu bleiben, sie überlebte und 1949 im Alter von 82 ausgedehnten orchestralen Abschnitten. Trotz Die im Titel genannten Königskinder – wobei darf sich sogar über das Wiedersehen mit ihren Jahren starb. Der andere wichtige Vertreter dieser komplizierten Entstehungsgeschichte die symbolische königliche Abstammung eines Kindern freuen, und dies verleiht dem Ende dieser Gattung war Richard Wagners Sohn ist das Resultat erstaunlich geschlossen der beiden Kinder nicht ererbt ist, sondern des Werks eine Warmherzigkeit, die ebenso Siegfried (1869–1930), der wiederum von und einheitlich ausgefallen. Humperdincks diesem auf mysteriöse Weise innewohnt – sind ergreifend ist wie die düstere Grimmsche Humperdinck beeinfl ußt war. Unter seinen Überleitungen sind so kunstvoll gearbeitet, am Ende tot. Vielleicht sind dem Publikum Fassung und dem Bühnenwerk sicherlich insgesamt achtzehn Opern fi nden sich mehrere daß keine Bruchstellen mehr erkennbar sind. doch grundsätzlich Happy Ends lieber. In größere Popularität verlieh. Märchenopern, wobei er diese Gattung nicht Dies ist ein perfektes Beispiel für das Diktum Anbetracht der hohen Qualität dieser beiden Humperdincks Komposition gehört zur Flucht in eine Fantasiewelt benutzte, seines Mentors Wagner, daß die Kunst des Kompositionen ist es wahrscheinlich zu unserem einer Unterkategorie der deutschen Oper sondern als Mittel zur Darstellung komplexer Komponierens in der Kunst der Überleitung Nachteil, daß wir den Rest von Humperdincks an, die als Märchenoper oder in diesem moralischer und emotionaler Sachverhalte. liege. Oeuvre ignorieren. Wie andere “Komponisten Fall als Märchenspiel bezeichnet wird; wie Neuinszenierungen von Werken wie Das Auch Humperdincks zweitbekannteste einer einzigen Oper”, etwa Mascagni und wir sehen werden, war Hänsel und Gretel Schwarzschwanenreich (1910) und Der Oper, Königskinder, durchlief interessanterweise Leoncavallo, wurde auch Humperdinck das ursprünglich keine wirkliche Oper. Die Friedensengel (1914) haben in jüngerer Zeit eine ähnliche Entwicklung – das Werk war Opfer seines ersten Erfolges. Alle wollten ganz Tradition entwickelte sich infolge des von den gezeigt, daß er gelegentlich eine eigenständige zunächst (1894) als Zwischenaktmusik für ein einfach ein weiteres Hänsel und Gretel. Auch Brüdern Grimm wiedererweckten Interesses und hörenswerte Stimme entwickelte, die aber Schauspiel gedacht und wurde anschließend das ist verständlich. Richard Strauss nannte die an Märchen oder Volksmärchen und erreichte unglücklicherweise von dem großen Lärmen (1897) mithilfe der später von Schoenberg und Komposition unmittelbar nach der Lektüre der ihre Blütezeit im späten 19. und frühen 20. seines viel berühmteren Vaters übertönt Berg aufgegriffenen Technik des Sprechgesangs Partitur ein Meisterwerk – und er war durchaus Jahrhundert. Eine Reihe von Komponisten wurde. zu einem Melodram umgearbeitet; bei dieser in der Lage, ein solches zu erkennen.

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CCHANHAN 3143(2)3143(2) Book.inddBook.indd 30-3130-31 330/4/070/4/07 10:02:4810:02:48 Trotzdem aber genoß Humperdinck eine das Werk in ihren Spielplan aufgenommen in New York erneut aufgeführt und zweimal 1923 war Hänsel und Gretel die erste im lange und erfolgreiche Laufbahn als Komponist und bis heute hat es sich als Dauerbrenner im verfi lmt. Zu Humperdincks weiteren Rundfunk ausgestrahlte Oper in Europa, als und Pädagoge. Ein kurzer Abriß seines Lebens Opernrepertoire gehalten. Werken zählen Zwischenaktmusiken für die englischsprachige Aufführung der British ist hier angebracht. Engelbert Humperdinck Nach diesem Erfolg schrieb Humperdinck verschiedene Schauspiele (darunter eine National Opera Company in Covent Garden wurde 1854 im rheinischen Siegburg weitere Opern, die entweder komisch waren ebenfalls für Reinhardt geschriebene von der BBC gesendet wurde. geboren und nahm bereits als Siebenjähriger oder ebenfalls der Märchentradition folgten, Shakespeare-Sequenz), Chorwerke, Lieder Die amerikanische Premiere von Hänsel Klavierunterricht. Mit vierzehn sah er seine für die Hänsel und Gretel das wichtigste und Kammermusik. Der Komponist starb und Gretel fand am 8. Oktober 1895 im erste Oper und begann sofort, ein eigenes Beispiel bleibt. 1910 wurde an der New 1921 in Neustrelitz. New Yorker Daly’s Theatre statt; auch Werk zu komponieren. Sein Vater lehnte seine Yorker Metropolitan Opera die Premiere Richard Strauss – ein großer hier wurde das Werk in englischer Sprache musikalischen Ambitionen zwar ab, erlaubte seiner Königskinder gegeben – diese Tatsache Operndirigent und großer Opernkomponist gesungen. Am 25. November 1905 wurde dem Achtzehnjährigen aber dennoch, sich am allein zeugt schon von dem ungeheuren – dirigierte die erste Aufführung von Hänsel es ins Repertoire der Metropolitan Opera Kölner Konservatorium einzuschreiben. Dort Ruhm, dessen er sich zu dieser Zeit erfreute. und Gretel am Tag vor Heiligabend 1893 aufgenommen (der Komponist war bei studierte er mehrere Jahre gewissenhaft unter Sein nächstes größeres Werk führte ihn im Weimarer Hoftheater. Am zweiten der ersten Aufführung anwesend) und am lokalen Berühmtheiten wie Hiller, Rheinberger nach London und entstand im Auftrag des Weihnachtstag 1894 wurde das Werk zum Weihnachtstag 1931 wurde es als erste Oper und Lachner und gewann eine Reihe von großen Theaterdirektors Max Reinhardt. Das ersten Mal in Großbritannien aufgeführt, live von der Met aus gesendet, wiederum Auszeichnungen. Von besonderer Bedeutung Mirakel basiert auf einer mittelalterlichen und zwar im Londoner Daly’s Theatre, wo in englischer Sprache. Zu den überaus war seine Begegnung mit Richard Wagner Legende, die von Karl Vollmoeller zu einem es in englischer Sprache gegeben wurde. Die erfolgreichen Inszenierungen der jüngeren im Jahr 1880, die zu einer Einladung nach Drama verarbeitet wurde, und erzählt die Inszenierung war überaus erfolgreich, und Zeit zählen die Fassung von David Pountney Bayreuth führte, wo Humperdinck 1882 bei Geschichte einer Nonne, die ihren Orden im darauffolgenden April feierte man die an der English National Opera, die am 16. der Vorbereitung der ersten Aufführungen von verläßt, um das Leben kennenzulernen; als einhundertste Aufführung in Folge. Als das Dezember 1987 am Londoner Coliseum Parsifal als dessen Assistent wirkte. sie reumütig zurückkehrt, merkt sie, daß Daly’s für eine andere Inszenierung benötigt Premiere feierte und zunächst von Mark In seiner eigenen Laufbahn verband er man sie noch gar nicht vermißt hat, da die wurde, wurde Hänsel und Gretel zum Elder dirigiert wurde, sowie die Inszenierung zunächst Arbeitsperioden als Pädagoge Jungfrau Maria ihren Platz eingenommen Gaiety transferiert, wo das Werk zusammen von Richard Jones an der Welsh National und als Kritiker, die Situation änderte sich hat. Das Werk, zu dem Humperdinck mit Mozarts früher Komödie Bastien und Opera, die zuerst von Vladimir Jurowski jedoch grundsätzlich mit dem Erfolg seiner die Begleitmusik schrieb, wurde 1911 Bastienne in Matineen gegeben wurde. Später dirigiert wurde und am 10. Dezember 1998 Märchenoper Hänsel und Gretel, die kurz vor in den Ausstellungshallen von Olympia wechselte die Oper zum Princess’s Theatre, am New Theatre in Cardiff auf die Bühne Weihnachten 1893 auf die Bühne kam. Die uraufgeführt. Reinhardts Inszenierung, dann zum Savoy. Dem Publikum von Covent kam. Aufnahme beim Publikum war spektakulär – in der Nacht für Nacht Tausende von Garden wurde sie zum ersten Mal 1896 innerhalb eines Jahres hatten 72 Opernhäuser Darstellern eingesetzt wurden, wurde 1924 präsentiert, wiederum in englischer Sprache. © 2007 George Hall

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CCHANHAN 3143(2)3143(2) Book.inddBook.indd 32-3332-33 330/4/070/4/07 10:02:5010:02:50 Handlung Hexe, die Kinder in ihre Hütte lockt, um sie anbricht, kommt die Tau-Fee, um die Kinder zu Jennifer Larmore (Hänsel) wurde in zu Lebkuchen zu verwandeln, indem sie sie wecken, indem sie Tautropfen über sie schüttelt. Atlanta (Georgia) geboren und studierte am COMPACT DISC ONE bei lebendigem Leibe bäckt! Die Eltern eilen 4 Sie spielen, und als der Nebel sich verzieht, Westminster Choir College in Princeton (New hinaus, um die Kinder zu suchen. entdecken sie ein kleines Lebkuchenhaus, Jersey); danach nahm sie Privatunterricht 1 Ouvertüre das von einem Zaun aus Lebkuchenfi guren bei John Bullock und Regina Resnik. Sie Erster Akt Zweiter Akt umschlossen ist. 5 – 6 Während sie an dem ist berühmt für ihre Koloraturrollen des Im Haus des Besenmachers Im Wald Lebkuchen knabbern, schleicht sich die Hexe Barockrepertoires und für ihren bel canto. Die Geschwister sind allein zu Hause; Hänsel 10 Vorspiel. 11 – 12 Im Wald bindet Gretel von hinten heran und wirft ein Seil um Hänsels Eine ihrer Standardrollen ist die der Rosina fertigt für seinen Vater Besen an, während seine einen Blumenkranz, während Hänsel die Hals. 7 – 9 Er versucht sich loszureißen, (Der Barbier von Sevilla), die sie bisher an der Schwester Gretel Socken strickt. 2 – 4 Gretel wilden Erdbeeren sammelt und gleich aufi ßt. doch die Hexe spricht einen Zauberspruch Metropolitan Opera, der Staatsoper Berlin, in lenkt ihren Bruder mit einem Lied ab, Hänsel Als alle Beeren aufgegessen sind, suchen die über die Kinder. Sie schließt Hänsel im Stall Bonn, Paris, San Francisco und Buenos Aires stimmt mit ein und schon bald singen und Kinder weiter, aber es ist dunkel geworden ein und schickt Gretel nach drinnen, um den gegeben hat. tanzen die beiden, anstatt zu arbeiten. 5 – 6 13 und sie merken, daß sie sich verlaufen haben. Tisch zu decken. 10 Doch Gretel hat sich den Weitere Rollen umfassen die Giovanna Als ihre Mutter Gertrud heimkommt, regt sie Ein dichter Nebel kommt auf und die Kinder Zauberspruch der Hexe gemerkt und benutzt Seymour (Anna Bolena) in Nizza; Mélisande sich darüber auf, wie wenig die Kinder geschafft ängstigen sich, 14 doch der Nebel klart auf ihn nun, um ihren Bruder zu befreien. (Pelléas et Mélisande) in Marseilles; Isolier (Le haben, und kippt aus Versehen den Milchkrug und ein kleiner Sandmann taucht auf, der den Die Hexe trägt Gretel auf, den Ofen zu Comte Ory) an der Mailänder Scala; Dorabella um. Wütend trägt sie den Kindern auf, in Kindern Schlafsand in die Augen streut. prüfen, doch Gretel gibt vor, zu dumm zu (Così fan tutte) auf dem Salzburger Festival; den Wald zu gehen und wilde Erdbeeren zu 15 Nachdem sie ihr Nachtgebet gesprochen sein, und bittet die Hexe, ihr zu zeigen, was Romeo (I Capuleti e i Montecchi) an der New sammeln, dann setzt sie sich hin und schläft vor haben, schlafen sie beide ein. Der Nebel sie tun soll. Schnell schieben die Kinder sie in Yorker Carnegie Hall sowie an der Opéra de Erschöpfung ein. umhüllt sie wieder und wird zu einer den Ofen und werfen die Türe zu. 11 – 12 Der Paris-Bastille und in Genf; The Italian Girl Wolkentreppe, auf der vierzehn Engel Ofen explodiert und die Lebkuchenfi guren in Algiers an der Deutschen Oper Berlin, in 7 Der Vater der Kinder, Peter, kehrt in herabsteigen, um die Nacht hindurch über die auf dem Zaun verwandeln sich in die Kinder Paris und in Wien; Ruggiero (Alcina) an der Hochstimmung nach Hause zurück. Er hat alle Kinder zu wachen. 16 Pantomime. zurück, die sie einst waren, bevor sie im Ofen Chicago Lyric Opera; Sesto (La clemenza di seine Besen verkaufen können und hat etwas zu gebacken wurden. 13 Hänsel und Gretels Eltern Tito) am Gran Teatro del Liceu in Barcelona; Essen mitgebracht. Die Eltern tanzen fröhlich COMPACT DISC TWO erscheinen und unter allgemeiner Heiterkeit die Titelrolle in Carmen an der Washington durchs Zimmer. 8 – 9 Als Peter erfährt, daß entdecken sie, daß die Hexe nun selbst in einen Opera; Giulio Cesare an der Metropolitan die Kinder nicht zu Hause sind, sondern in Dritter Akt Lebkuchen verwandelt worden ist. Opera und in Madrid; die Titelrolle in Orfeo den Wald geschickt wurden, um Erdbeeren Das Lebkuchenhaus in Madrid; Orlovsky (Die Fledermaus) in zu pfl ücken, ist er entsetzt: Im Wald lebt die 1 Einleitung. 2 – 3 Als die Dämmerung Übersetzung: Stephanie Wollny Japan und an der Metropolitan Opera; Hänsel

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CCHANHAN 3143(2)3143(2) Book.inddBook.indd 34-3534-35 330/4/070/4/07 10:02:5110:02:51 (Hänsel und Gretel) an der Metropolitan Opera und Johanna (Sweeney Todd ) gesungen. Sie International Festival. Recitals hat sie in La Fenice, in Barcelona, Buenos Aires und und auf den BBC Proms; Giulietta (Hoffmanns ist regelmäßig an der Bayerischen Staatsoper der Londoner Wigmore Hall sowie auf den Santiago mitgewirkt. Erzählungen) am Royal Opera House, Covent in München zu Gast, wo ihre bisherigen Festivals von Barcelona, Ravinia, Buxton, Nach Covent Garden ist Rosalind Plowright Garden, und die Titelrolle in La Cenerentola an Rollen die Nannetta unter dem Dirigat von Belfast und Beaulieu-sur-Mer gegeben. für Sweeney Todd zurückgekehrt, und ihr der Metropolitan Opera. Zubin Mehta, Sophie (Der Rosenkavalier), Ihre Einspielungen umfassen die Debüt am Maggio Musicale in Florenz feierte Jennifer Larmore hat bisher mehr als siebzig Zdenka (Arabella), Servilia (La clemenza di Marzellina (Fidelio), Pamina (Die Zauberfl öte) sie mit zwei Opern von Luigi Dallapiccola. Tonträgeraufnahmen gemacht; ihr gebührt Tito), Ilia (Idomeneo) und Susanna (Le nozze und Ilia (Idomeneo) für die Chandos-Reihe Zu ihren Einspielungen zählen Queen daher die Auszeichnung, die meisteingespielte di Figaro) umfaßten. Ferner hat sie die Ilia an “Opera in English”, die Nannetta (Falstaff ) Elizabeth I (Mary Stuart), Desdemona (Otello) Mezzosopranistin aller Zeiten zu sein. Ihre der Niederländischen Oper und der Opéra unter Sir John Eliot Gardiner, eine Reihe von und Amneris (Aida) für die Chandos-Reihe Diskographie umfaßt unter anderem eine CD de Lausanne gegeben, die Titelrolle in The Aufnahmen mit Werken von Gilbert und “Opera in English”, ferner La forza del destino mit Großen Opernarien für die Chandos- Cunning Little Vixen an der Scottish Opera, Sullivan unter Sir Charles Mackerras sowie zusammen mit José Carreras, Il trovatore mit Reihe “Opera in English”, ferner Lucia di Pamina, Susanna, Ilia, Marzelline (Fidelio), eine Soloaufnahme mit italienischen Liedern. Placido Domingo, Mendelssohns Elias (für Lammermoor, Julius Caesar, Orfeo, Der Barbier Norina (Don Pasquale) und Hero (Beatrice and Schließlich hat sie noch die Rolle der Belinda Chandos), La Vestale, Hoffmanns Erzählungen von Sevilla und La Cenerentola sowie für Benedict) an der Welsh National Opera sowie in dem ebenfalls bei Chandos erschienenen und Mahlers Zweite Sinfonie. Opera Rara L’incoronazione di Poppea, Bianca e Romilda (Xerxes) und Ginevra (Ariodante) an Film Dido und Aeneas gesungen, außerdem Falliero, Elisabetta regina d’Inghilterra, Francesca der English National Opera. moderierte sie ihre eigene BBC Fernsehserie, Robert Hayward (der Vater) studierte an der di Foix und Adelaide di Borgogna. Im Jahre Auch in den USA hat Rebecca Evans große “A Touch of Classics”, mit dem BBC National Guildhall School of Music and Drama sowie 2002 wurde Jennifer Larmore in Anerkennung Erfolge gefeiert, so in den Rollen der Susanna Orchestra of Wales. am National Opera Studio und feierte sein ihres Beitrags zur Welt der Musik zum und Zerlina an der Metropolitan Opera in professionelles Operndebüt mit der Titelrolle Chevalier de l’ordre des arts et des lettres ernannt. New York, als Susanna an der Santa Fe Opera, Rosalind Plowright (die Mutter) ist in in Don Giovanni in einer Produktion der als Pamina und Adèle (Die Fledermaus) an der fast jedem größeren Opernhaus der Welt Glyndebourne Touring Opera. Auftritte haben Rebecca Evans (Gretel) wurde in Südwales Lyric Opera of Chicago sowie als Zerlina, Anne aufgetreten; sie hat in Neuinszenierungen ihn mit dem Royal Opera House, der English geboren und an der Guildhall School of Music Trulove (The Rake’s Progress)und Adina (L’elisir in Covent Garden, an der English National National Opera, der Welsh National Opera, and Drama ausgebildet. Mit fi nanzieller d’amore) an der San Francisco Opera. Opera, in Paris, Hamburg, Frankfurt, der Opera North, der Scottish Opera, der Unterstützung der Peter Moores Foundation Zu ihren Konzertaufführungen zählen München und Berlin, an der Wiener Glyndebourne Festival und Touring Opera, studierte sie zudem bei Ronald Schneider Auftritte bei den BBC Proms und auf dem Staatsoper, in Athen, an der Metropolitan der Bayerischen Staatsoper in München, der in Berlin. Am Royal Opera House, Covent Edinburgh International Festival, Galakonzerte Opera, in San Francisco, Dallas, Houston Houston Grand Opera, der Neuen Israelischen Garden, hat sie die Pamina (Die Zauberfl öte), mit Andrea Bocelli und mit Luciano und San Diego, an der Carnegie Hall, an der Oper und der Minnesota Opera verbunden, Zerlina (Don Giovanni), Nannetta (Falstaff ) Pavarotti sowie Auftritte auf dem Melbourne Mailänder Scala, in Verona und Florenz, an wobei sein ausgedehntes Repertoire Wotan und

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CCHANHAN 3143(2)3143(2) Book.inddBook.indd 36-3736-37 330/4/070/4/07 10:02:5310:02:53 den Wanderer im Ring, Amfortas (Parsifal), an der Los Angeles Opera und der Pariser Sarah Tynan (Die Tau-Fee) wurde in London Diana Montague (der Sandman) wurde in Jokanaan (Salome), Figaro und Graf Almaviva Opéra, Klytemnestra (Elektra) an der San geboren und studierte am Royal Northern Winchester geboren und studierte am Royal (Le nozze di Figaro), die Titelrollen in Der Francisco Opera, die Principessa (Suor College of Music und an der Royal Academy Northern College of Music. Seit ihrem Debüt fl iegende Holländer, Mazeppa, Saul, Eugen Angelica) mit dem Royal Concertgebouw of Music (bei Penelope Mackay). An der als Zerlina mit der Glyndebourne Touring Onegin und Don Giovanni, Iago (Otello), Orchestra unter Chailly, Dialogues des Royal Academy wurde ihr die Auszeichnung Opera ist sie am Royal Opera House, Covent Ford (Falstaff ), Scarpia (Tosca), Marcello (La Carmélites in Amsterdam, die Kostelnicˇka “Queen’s Commendation for Excellence” Garden, an der Metropolitan Opera in New bohème), Escamillo (Carmen), Nick Shadow (Jenu˚fa) unter Ozawa in Japan und die zuteil. York, dem Théâtre de la Monnaie in Brüssel, (The Rake’s Progress), Golaud (Pelléas et Kabanicka (Katya Kabanova) auf dem Seit sie zum Ensemble der English National der Opéra national de Paris-Bastille, dem Mélisande) und Wotan/Wanderer im Ring- Salzburger Festival. Opera gehört, hat sie die Tytania Teatro Colón in Buenos Aires sowie auf dem Zyklus der English National Opera umfaßt. An der Royal Opera, Covent Garden, hat (A Midsummer Night’s Dream), Papagena Bayreuther und dem Salzburger Festival Konzertengagements hatte er mit sie Fricka und Waltraute sowie Ulrica (Un (Die Zauberfl öte), Iphis (Jephtha), Atalanta aufgetreten. Belshazzar’s Feast, Tippetts The Mask of Time, ballo in maschera), Klytemnestra und Mrs (Xerxes), Yum-Yum (Der Mikado) und Ihr Repertoire umfaßt die großen Mendelssohns Elias, Beethovens Neunter Grose (The Turn of the Screw) gesungen, Schwester Constance (The Carmelites) Mezzosopran-Rollen in den Opern von Sinfonie und Haydns Schöpfung, The Dream an der Mailänder Scala, Herodias (Salome) gegeben. Weitere Opernengagements Mozart, Gluck, Strauss, Rossini, Bellini und of Gerontius, Mozarts Requiem sowie Mahlers und Cassandre (Les Troyens). Zu ihren umfassen die Tytania an La Monnaie in Berlioz; zu ihren bisherigen Engagements Das klagende Lied und Lieder eines fahrenden Rollen an der Bayerischen Staatsoper in Brüssel, Bella (The Midsummer Marriage) zählen Benvenuto Cellini an der Oper von Gesellen. Zu seinen Einspielungen zählt die München zählen Herodias, Klytemnestra, unter der Leitung von Richard Hickox auf Rom; Iphigénie en Tauride in Buenos Aires, Rolle des Dr. Schön (Lulu) im Rahmen der Ulrica, Mistress Quickly (Falstaff ) und dem St. Endellion Festival, Pretty Polly Madrid und an der Welsh National Opera; Chandos-Reihe “Opera in English” sowie Ortrud (Lohengrin), zu denen an der Wiener in Birtwistles Punch and Judy am Teatro Albert Herring, Cherubino (Le nozze di ebenfalls für Chandos The Pilgrim’s Progress. Staatsoper Klytemnestra, Fricka und Mistress Nacional San João in Porto, die Gouvernante Figaro) und Andromaca in Rossinis Ermione Quickly. Ihre berühmteste Rolle ist die in Brittens The Turn of the Screw für eine in Glyndebourne; Le Comte Ory in Lausanne, Jane Henschel (die Hexe) wurde im der Amme in Die Frau ohne Schatten, die Rußland-Tournee des British Council, Elsie Rom und Glyndebourne; Proserpina in amerikanischen Bundesstaat Wisconsin sie in Amsterdam, London, Los Angeles, Maynard (The Yeomen of the Guard) und Monteverdis Orfeo in Amsterdam; Ariadne geboren, studierte an der University of München, Paris, Wien und Berlin sowie an Gianetta (The Gondoliers) an der Phoenix auf Naxos in Lissabon; Marguerite (La California und zog anschließend nach der Metropolitan Opera gegeben hat. Opera. Damnation de Faust) in Wien und Genf; Deutschland. Zu ihren Rollen zählen Baba Jane Henschels Einspielungen umfassen Für die Chandos-Reihe “Opera in English” Minerva (Il ritorno d’Ulisse in patria) in der Türke (The Rake’s Progress) auf den Krasas Verlobung im Traum, The Rake’s hat Sarah Tynan die Rollen der Schwester Amsterdam and Sydney; Die Meistersinger Festivals von Glyndebourne, Saito Kinen Progress, Albéniz’ Merlin, Brittens The Turn Constance (The Carmelites) und der Barbarina von Nürnberg am Royal Opera House in und Salzburg, Brangäne (Tristan und Isolde) of the Screw und Mahlers Achte Sinfonie. (The Marriage of Figaro) aufgenommen. Covent Garden, Junon in Rameaus Platée

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CCHANHAN 3143(2)3143(2) Book.inddBook.indd 38-3938-39 330/4/070/4/07 10:02:5410:02:54 mit der Royal Opera auf dem Edinburgh Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in der Royal Zusammenarbeit mit Wilhelm Furtwängler, größte Orchesterdiskographie der Welt, die Festival und in London, sowie Octavian Albert Hall, Mahlers Dritte Sinfonie mit Richard Strauss, Arturo Toscanini, Guido auch Fernseh- und Filmmusik beinhaltet, (Der Rosenkavalier) an der English National dem London Symphony Orchestra im Cantelli, Herbert von Karajan und Carlo und genießt weltweit höchstes Ansehen. Das Opera, in Bilbao und am Teatro Real in Barbican, Carmina Burana mit dem Royal Maria Giulini einbezog. Das Orchester Orchester hat für Opera Rara mehrere Recitals Madrid. Philharmonic Orchestra in der Royal Festival verpfl ichtet weiterhin Gastdirigenten und sowie dreizehn komplette Opern eingespielt Zu Diana Montagues zahlreichen Hall sowie mit dem Bach Choir ebenfalls in Solisten von Weltrang, während einige der und in der Reihe “Opera in English” für Einspielungen zählen Monteverdis Orfeo, der Royal Festival Hall und schließlich drei größten europäischen Nachwuchstalente in Chandos mit Unterstützung durch die Peter I Capuleti e i Montecchi, Norma, Iphigénie Blue Peter Proms. seine Reihen aufgenommen werden. Moores Foundation The Marriage of Figaro, en Tauride; für Opera Rara Rosmonda Zu der umfassenden Diskographie des New Das Philharmonia Orchestra ist in der The Thieving Magpie, Wozzeck, Don Giovanni, d’Inghilterra, Zoraida di Granata und London Children’s Choir zählen Turandot Royal Festival Hall ansässig und nimmt The Elixir of Love, Lucia of Lammermoor, Il crociato in Egitto sowie im Rahmen und Carmen im Rahmen der bei Chandos eine zentrale Position im Musikleben Faust, Carmen, Aida, La Bohème, Madam der Chandos-Reihe “Opera in English” erschienenen Reihe “Opera in English”, Großbritanniens ein, nicht nur durch seine Butterfl y, Turandot, die preisgekrönte Tosca und Cherubino (The Marriage of Figaro), Idamante Tchaikowskis Nußknacker, Schostakovichs Londoner Konzerte, sondern auch durch feste Opernarien in Solorecitals mit Bruce Ford, (Idomeneo), Cavalleria rusticana, Octavian Das Lied von den Wäldern, Prokofi ews Ivan Kontakte mit Aufführungsstätten in anderen Diana Montague, Dennis O’Neill, Alastair in Der Rosenkavalier (Highlights) und Faust der Schreckliche und Brittens St Nicolas. Teilen des Landes, die eine ideale Gelegenheit Miles, Yvonne Kenny und John Tomlinson sowie schließlich zwei Recital-CDs mit für die Erweiterung seines dynamischen und aufgenommen. Das Philharmonia Orchestra Großen Opernarien. Das Philharmonia Orchestra, eines der bevölkerungsnahen musikpädagogischen untermauert seinen internationalen Rang großen Orchester der Welt, steht nun Programms bieten. Das Orchester ist mit durch regelmäßige Tourneen und Gastauftritte Der New London Children’s Choir wurde bereits im zehnten Jahr unter der Leitung zahlreichen Preisen ausgezeichnet worden an berühmten Häusern wie dem Châtelet 1991 von seinem Musikdirektor Ronald Corp seines berühmten deutschen Chefdirigenten und hat beispiellose kritische Unterstützung Théâtre Musical in Paris, dem Megaron gegründet mit dem Ziel, Kinder mit den Christoph von Dohnányi. Er setzt eine für seine innovative Programmpolitik in Athen und dem Lincoln Center for the Freuden und Anforderungen des Singens und Tradition fort, die mit Otto Klemperer gewonnen, die in ihrem Kern der Bestellung Performing Arts in New York. Musizierens aller Arten von Musik vertraut zu begann und über Lorin Maazel (Erster und Darbietung neuer Musik von führenden machen. Der Chor hat inzwischen Dutzende Gastdirigent), Riccardo Muti (Chefdirigent Komponisten unserer Zeit verpfl ichtet ist. Sir Charles Mackerras studierte am von Einspielungen und Sendungen gemacht und Musikalischer Leiter), Giuseppe Sinopoli Die Konzerte des Orchesters werden immer Konservatorium in Sydney und kam 1947 und war auf zahlreichen großen Festivals zu (Musikalischer Leiter) bis zu Kurt Sanderling häufi ger von BBC Radio 3 übertragen, nicht nach England. Von der Kulturorganisation Gast. (Emeritierter Dirigent), Vladimir Ashkenazy zuletzt im Rahmen der jährlichen BBC Proms. British Council erhielt er ein Stipendium Zu den Konzert-Highlights des Chors (Ehrendirigent) und Sir Charles Mackerras Mit über 1000 Schallplattenaufnahmen zur Erweiterung seines Studiums an der zählen Mahlers Achte Sinfonie mit dem (Hauptgastdirigent) führt, aber auch die verfügt das Philharmonia Orchestra über die Musikakademie Prag. In jenem Jahr begann

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CCHANHAN 3143(2)3143(2) Book.inddBook.indd 40-4140-41 330/4/070/4/07 10:02:5610:02:56 seine Leidenschaft für die Musik Janácˇeks, Kodálys Psalmus Hungaricus und Dvorˇáks On session: Jane Henschel als er Katja Kabanowa unter der Leitung des Cellokonzert eingespielt. Für die Chandos- großen Václav Talich hörte. Serie “Opera in English” hat er Osud, La Als Assistant Conductor am Londoner traviata, Werther, Julius Caesar, Mary Stuart, Opernhaus Sadler’s Wells dirigierte er 1951 Eugene Onegin, Jenu˚fa, The Magic Flute, The die erste Aufführung von Katja Kabanowa Bartered Bride und The Makropulos Case in der englischsprachigen Welt und brachte aufgenommen. später auch Die Sache Makropulos und Sir Charles hat auch die Musik des Aus einem Totenhaus nach Sadler’s Wells. 18. Jahrhunderts erforscht, insbesondere Hocherfolgreiche Inszenierungen von Janácˇeks Händel und Mozart. Er hat eine Reihe von Opern sowie vertrautere Werke aus dem Mozart-Opern und Gilbert-und-Sullivan- Standardrepertoire leitete er auch während Operetten sowie Gesamtaufnahmen der seiner Zeit als Musikdirektor der English Sinfonien von Mozart, Beethoven und National Opera (1970 –77) und der Welsh Brahms, mehrere Oratorien von Händel National Opera (1987–1992). In ganz Europa, sowie Sinfonien von Mahler und Elgar den USA und Australien gilt er als Wegbereiter vorgelegt. Derzeit ist er Hauptgastdirigent des der Musik Janácˇeks. Jenu˚fa ist ihm besonders Philharmonia Orchestra, Conductor Laureate ans Herz gewachsen. des Scottish Chamber Orchestra sowie Name verbindet sich seit langem mit Conductor Emeritus der Welsh National der Tschechischen Philharmonie, mit der Opera und der San Francisco Opera. er die meisten Orchesterwerke Janácˇeks, Sir Charles wurde 1974 mit dem Katja Kabanowa und Dvorˇáks Rusalka britischen Verdienstorden CBE aufgenommen hat. Seine umfangreiche ausgezeichnet, 1979 zum Ritter geschlagen, Diskographie enthält einen preisgekrönten 1996 mit der Ehrenmedaille der Zyklus von Janácˇek-Opern mit den Wiener Tschechischen Republik gewürdigt und 1997 Philharmonikern aus den frühen achtziger zum Companion of the Order of Australia Jahren. Für Chandos hat er Janácˇeks ernannt. 2003 erhob ihn Königin Elizabeth Glagolitische Messe in der Originalfassung, II. zum Companion of Honour.

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CCHANHAN 3143(2)3143(2) Book.inddBook.indd 42-4342-43 330/4/070/4/07 10:02:5710:02:57 aujourd’hui comme étant des contes de fées fois (il laisse tomber derrière lui des cailloux Hänsel, Gretel et Humperdinck avait été publié quelle que soit la langue, brillants, ce qui leur permet de revenir par le mais le succès de leur version encouragea la même chemin), mais la seconde fois il utilise On demande parfois si Hänsel und Gretel ces aspects avec plaisir eux aussi. Hänsel und publication de nombreuses autres collections des miettes de pain que les oiseaux mangent est vraiment un opéra destiné aux enfants Gretel est un opéra pour tous. à travers toute l’Europe, donnant naissance à bien entendu. Complètement perdus, ils ou aux adultes. La réponse, bien entendu, Une question à laquelle il est plus diffi cile un nouveau genre littéraire très infl uent. Ils découvrent la chaumière de la sorcière et se est qu’il s’adresse aux deux. Les enfants de répondre est de savoir si ce conte de fées arrivèrent également au bon moment car les débarrassent d’elle plus ou moins comme dans aimeront la simplicité des chansons et des en particulier, ou les contes de fées en général, profonds changements qui allaient bouleverser l’opéra (mais sans libérer aucun enfant en pain jeux chantés, le comique grotesque de la conviennent aux enfants – ou même aux la société européenne pendant le dix-neuvième d’épice); ensuite, ils parviennent à retrouver sorcière déchaînée aux habitudes alimentaires adultes. L’opéra de Humperdinck possède siècle signifi aient que beaucoup de ces contes le chemin de leur maison où ils découvrent, monstrueuses, et les apparitions surnaturelles de nombreux passages de comédie, plusieurs folkloriques transmis oralement allaient, en sans aucun doute avec soulagement, que leur culminant dans la séquence de la moments réconfortants et une fi n heureuse une ou deux générations, devenir rares et mère/belle-mère est morte entre temps. Pantomime de rêve qui, dans les productions offi cielle, mais on rencontre également des fi nalement disparaître. Les frères Grimm et Il n’est pas nécessaire d’être un disciple traditionnelles, met en scène quatorze anges aspects inquiétants tout au long de son leurs successeurs sauvèrent de l’oubli défi nitif de Freud pour déceler dans cette sombre descendant un escalier pour venir veiller déroulement. C’est généralement la règle dans une grande partie de ces récits. petite histoire le lien non exprimé entre la sur le sommeil des enfants dans la forêt les contes de fées – en particulier ceux des Hänsel und Gretel parut dans la toute fi gure de la mère/belle-mère et celle de la nocturne. Mais l’enfant qui est en nous tous Grimm. première édition de leurs contes. C’est une sorcière, en particulier si l’on songe qu’elles aimera également ces éléments. En outre, Les frères Jacob Ludwig (1785 –1863) et histoire encore plus cruelle que l’adaptation meurent à peu près au même moment. Ce les adultes apprécieront probablement la Wilhelm Carl Grimm (1786 –1859) étaient réalisée par Adelheid Wette, la sœur de rapport psychologique est souligné dans les riche orchestration et les subtiles harmonies deux universitaires allemands éminents et, Humperdinck, et qui allait s’imposer comme représentations de l’opéra quand les deux de Humperdinck, la force constante de son avant que le terme ne fût inventé, folkloristes. son opéra le plus célèbre. Les parents de Hänsel rôles sont chantés par la même interprète invention mélodique et de son contrepoint Ils publièrent d’importants travaux consacrés et Gretel (la mère deviendra le personnage un – cependant, ce n’était pas l’intention de magistral, ainsi que son extraordinaire à la grammaire, au vocabulaire et à l’usage de peu moins troublant de la belle-mère à partir Humperdinck et cette idée n’est pas reprise variété d’humeurs et de textures, allant d’une la langue allemande, mais leur ouvrage le plus de la deuxième édition) sont si pauvres qu’ils dans le présent enregistrement. Une autre complexité quasi wagnérienne jusqu’à une célèbre demeure les Kinder- und Hausmärchen, décident de “perdre” leurs enfants dans la forêt tradition, particulièrement commune en exubérance et un élan dansant à la Johann réunis et édités conjointement en 1812. Ils afi n d’avoir assez à manger pour eux-mêmes. Allemagne, consiste à confi er le rôle de la Strauss. Mais les enfants – même s’ils n’ont ont été souvent réimprimés jusqu’à nous sous C’est la mère qui suggère cette idée et persuade sorcière à un ténor en travesti. Ce sont là jamais entendu du Wagner ou du contrepoint le titre Les Contes de Grimm. Avant eux, seul son époux réticent à l’exécuter. L’ingéniosité de deux idées intéressantes, mais il est clair – enregistreront au moins inconsciemment un petit nombre de ce que nous connaissons Hänsel le sauve ainsi que sa sœur la première qu’elles s’excluent l’une l’autre. La version de

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CCHANHAN 3143(2)3143(2) Book.inddBook.indd 44-4544-45 330/4/070/4/07 10:03:0010:03:00 Wette/Humperdinck non seulement permet à de concentration de Terezin, et mourut en Les transitions de Humperdinck sont si habiles qualité de ces deux ouvrages, il est probable Gertrude de vivre mais également de se réjouir 1949 à l’âge de quatre-vingt-deux ans) pour qu’il est impossible de déceler les jointures. que notre méconnaissance du reste de la du retour de ses enfants, ce qui donne à la fi n Königskinder (version fi nale en 1910). L’autre C’est un exemple illustrant parfaitement production de Humperdinck est une perte de l’ouvrage un sentiment chaleureux aussi représentant important fut le fi ls de Richard l’affi rmation de son mentor Wagner pour qui pour nous. À l’instar d’autres “compositeurs profond en son genre que la sombre version Wagner, Siegfried (1869–1930), qui subit l’art de la composition est l’art de la transition. d’un opéra” tels que Mascagni et Leoncavallo, des Grimm, et assure plus sûrement le succès l’infl uence de Humperdinck. Plusieurs de Fait intéressant, le deuxième opéra de Humperdinck fut victime de son premier sur scène. ses dix-huit opéras sont des Märchenopern, Humperdinck le plus connu, Königskinder succès. Tout le monde voulait simplement un L’ouvrage de Humperdinck appartient un genre qu’il explora non pas pour sa (Enfants royaux), eut une semblable genèse autre Hänsel und Gretel. Ceci est également à une sous-catégorie d’opéra allemand fantaisie d’évasion mais comme un moyen puisqu’il fut conçu au départ comme musique compréhensible. Richard Strauss qualifi a la intitulée Märchenoper, ou dans le cas présent de faire face à des diffi cultés morales et de scène pour une pièce en 1894. Elle fut partition de chef-d’œuvre aussitôt après l’avoir Märchenspiel (littéralement “pièce de conte émotionnelles. Les récentes reprises de pièces ensuite transformée (en 1897) en mélodrame lue; et il savait reconnaître une bonne chose de fées”: comme nous allons le voir, Hänsel telles que Schwarzschwanenreich (Le Royaume (c’est-à-dire des paroles sur de la musique), quand il en voyait une. und Gretel n’était pas du tout un opéra à du cygne noir, 1910) et Der Friedensengel utilisant la technique du Sprechgesang – reprise Cependant, Humperdinck connut une l’origine). Cette tradition se développa à la (L’Ange de la paix, 1914) montrent qu’il eut plus tard par Schoenberg et Berg, dans laquelle carrière longue et distinguée de compositeur suite du renouveau d’intérêt pour le conte parfois un style personnel et digne d’intérêt, les paroles sont notées d’une manière exacte du et de professeur. Un bref résumé semble folklorique (ou conte de fées) provoqué mais malheureusement noyé par le bruit point de vue rythmique, mais beaucoup moins approprié. Engelbert Humperdinck naquit par les frères Grimm, et parvint à son plein phénoménal créé par son père au génie bien précise quant aux hauteurs sonores – avant de à Siegburg près de Cologne en 1854 et épanouissement à la fi n du dix-neuvième supérieur. parvenir à sa forme défi nitive d’opéra complet commença l’étude du piano à l’âge de sept ans; et au début du vingtième siècle. Plusieurs À l’origine, Adelheid Wette demanda à son en 1910. Königskinder n’est pas souvent après avoir vu pour la première fois un opéra compositeurs se spécialisèrent dans ce genre, frère d’écrire seulement des chansons pour représenté, mais quand c’est le cas, la partition à l’âge de quatorze ans, il se mit à composer notamment Humperdinck, qui s’inspira une pièce s’inspirant de Hänsel und Gretel se montre riche et fascinante. La raison de son ses propres ouvrages. Bien que son père se soit également des frères Grimm pour Die sieben (certains des passages les plus simples de manque de succès est très probablement due à opposé à ses ambitions musicales, il l’autorisa Geislein (Les Sept Jeunes Enfants) en 1895, l’opéra, incluant ceux qui utilisent de véritables son caractère beaucoup plus sombre que celui à entrer au Conservatoire de Cologne à l’âge mais aussi du collecteur français de contes de chansons folkloriques, refl ètent ces débuts). Par de Hänsel und Gretel. Les “enfants royaux” de dix-huit ans. Il y étudia consciencieusement fées du dix-septième siècle Charles Perrault la suite, la pièce devint un Singspiel, ou opéra de son titre – leur noblesse symbolique n’est plusieurs années avec des maîtres mineurs tels pour Dornröschen (La Belle au bois dormant) avec dialogues. Finalement, il fut transformé en pas héritée dans le cas de l’un des deux, mais que Hiller, Rheinberger, Lachner, et remporta en 1902, et d’un conte de fées inventé par un opéra au développement continu, incluant est innée d’une manière assez mystérieuse plusieurs prix. Beaucoup plus importante fut sa Ernst Rosmer (pseudonyme de la dramaturge plusieurs sections orchestrales importantes. Le – meurent à la fi n. Après tout, le public préfère rencontre avec Wagner en 1880, suivie d’une Else Bernstein-Porges qui survécut au camp miracle est que le résultat est aussi cohérent. peut-être les fi ns heureuses. Au regard de la invitation à venir à Bayreuth où Humperdinck

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CCHANHAN 3143(2)3143(2) Book.inddBook.indd 46-4746-47 330/4/070/4/07 10:03:0110:03:01 devint l’assistant musical de Wagner pendant l’histoire d’une religieuse qui abandonne son Bastien und Bastienne de Mozart. Plus tard, Argument la préparation des premières représentations de ordre pour faire l’expérience de la vie; mais il fut transféré au Princess’s Theatre puis au Parsifal en 1882. quand elle revient pénitente, elle découvre Savoy Theatre. Le public de Covent Garden COMPACT DISC ONE Sa carrière compta des périodes où il fut que personne n’a regretté son absence car l’entendit pour la première fois en 1896, de professeur et critique musical, mais sa fortune sa place a été prise par la Vierge Marie. La nouveau chanté en anglais. En 1923, il devint 1 Ouverture changea avec le succès de son opéra de conte production de Reinhardt, qui nécessitait le premier opéra à être radiodiffusé en Europe Acte I de fées, Hänsel und Gretel, qui fut donné sur des milliers d’interprètes chaque soir, fut quand la représentation donnée en anglais Dans la maison du fabricant de balais scène juste avant Noël en 1893. Son accueil fut reprise à New York en 1924 et fut fi lmée par la British National Opera Company fut Laissés seuls à la maison, Hänsel fabrique spectaculaire – en l’espace d’un an, au moins deux fois. Les autres œuvres du compositeur retransmise par la BBC. des balais pour son père tandis que sa sœur soixante-douze théâtres lyriques le reprirent – comptent des musiques de scène pour le Hänsel und Gretel fut créé (de nouveau en Gretel tricote des bas. 2 – 4 Gretel distrait et il devint un ouvrage permanent du théâtre (en particulier pour une série de anglais) aux États-Unis au Daly’s Theater son frère en chantant une chanson; Hänsel se répertoire lyrique. pièces de Shakespeare de nouveau écrites pour de New York le 9 octobre 1895. Il entra joint à elle, et bientôt ils chantent et dansent Par la suite, Humperdinck continua à Reinhardt), des pages chorales, des chansons au répertoire du Metropolitan Opera le 25 ensemble. 5 – 6 Quand leur mère Gertrude composer des opéras, le plus souvent dans le et des pièces de musique de chambre. novembre 1905 (le compositeur assista à la revient, elle se met en colère à cause du peu style comique ou dans la tradition du conte Humperdinck mourut à Neustrelitz près de première représentation), et le jour de Noël de travail réalisé par les enfants et renverse de fées dont Hänsel und Gretel reste l’exemple Berlin en 1921. 1931, il fut le premier opéra à être radiodiffusé par accident une cruche de lait. Furieuse, le plus signifi catif. En 1910, le Metropolitan C’est Richard Strauss – un grand chef en direct du Metropolitan Opera, toujours elle envoie les enfants dans la forêt pour aller Opera de New York donna la première de d’orchestre d’opéra ainsi qu’un grand en anglais. Les récentes productions très cueillir des fraises sauvages, puis elle s’assoit et Königskinder – un fait qui en soi démontre compositeur d’opéra – qui dirigea la création acclamées au Royaume-Uni incluent celle s’endort, épuisée. son immense réputation internationale à de Hänsel und Gretel au Théâtre de la Cour de David Pountney à l’English National cette époque. Son œuvre majeure suivante de Weimar le 24 décembre 1893. Le 26 Opera, dont la première eu lieu au Coliseum 7 Le père des enfants, Peter, rentre de très le conduisit à Londres, et fut composée à décembre 1894, l’ouvrage fut donné pour la de Londres le 16 décembre 1987 sous la bonne humeur car il a vendu tous ses balais et la demande du grand metteur en scène de première fois en Grande-Bretagne, en anglais, direction de Mark Elder, et celle mise en rapporte de la nourriture. Les parents dansent théâtre Max Reinhardt. S’inspirant d’une au Daly’s Theatre de Londres. Il resta à scène par Richard Jones au Welsh National joyeusement autour de la pièce. 8 – 9 Peter légende médiévale transformée en drame par l’affi che jusqu’à l’année suivante où il parvint Opera, dirigée par Vladimir Jurowski, dont est horrifi é quand il apprend que les enfants Karl Vollmöller, le spectaculaire The Miracle, à sa centième représentation au mois d’avril. la première eut lieu le 10 décembre au New sont sortis pour aller chercher des fraises dans créé dans la salle d’exposition à Olympia en Quand le Daly’s Theatre fut sollicité pour un Theatre de Cardiff. la forêt: car c’est le domaine de la sorcière 1911, et pour lequel Humperdinck réalisa autre spectacle, Hänsel und Gretel passa au qui attire les enfants dans sa chaumière pour une partition d’accompagnement, raconte Gaity Theatre où il fut donné en matinée avec © 2007 George Hall les cuire vivants et les transformer en pains

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CCHANHAN 3143(2)3143(2) Book.inddBook.indd 48-4948-49 330/4/070/4/07 10:03:0210:03:02 d’épice! Ils se précipitent dehors à la recherche chaumière en pain d’épice entourée John Bullock et Regina Resnik. Elle est célèbre Jennifer Larmore a réalisé à ce jour plus de Hänsel et Gretel. d’une clôture faite de fi gures en pain d’épice. pour ses interprétations des rôles coloratures de soixante-dix disques, un fait qui lui 5 – 6 Pendant qu’ils mangent des morceaux du répertoire baroque et bel canto. Elle a été vaut la distinction d’être la mezzo-soprano Acte II de pain d’épice, la sorcière s’approche d’eux particulièrement associée au rôle de Rosina la plus enregistrée de tous les temps. Ces Dans la forêt sans bruit et lance une corde autour du cou de (Il barbiere di Siviglia) qu’elle a interprété enregistrement incluent un disque de 10 Prélude. 11 – 12 Dans la forêt Gretel tresse Hänsel. 7 – 9 Il tente de s’en dégager, mais la au Metropolitan Opera de New York, au Great Operatic Arias dans la série “Opera une guirlande de fl eurs tandis que Hänsel sorcière lui jette un sort ainsi qu’à sa sœur. Elle Staatsoper de Berlin, à Bonn, Paris, San in English” de Chandos, ainsi que Lucia di cueille des fraises sauvages et les mange. Quand enferme Hänsel dans l’écurie et envoie Gretel à Francisco et Buenos Aires. Lammermoor, Julius Caesar, Orfeo, Il barbiere toutes les fraises ont été mangées, les enfants l’intérieur de la chaumière pour dresser la table. Elle a également incarné les rôles de di Siviglia, La Cenerentola, et pour Opera Rara, se mettent à en chercher d’autres, mais la nuit 10 Mais Gretel se rappelle la formule magique Giovanna Seymour (Anna Bolena) à Nice; L’incoronazione di Poppea, Bianca e Falliero, tombe 13 et ils comprennent qu’ils se sont de la sorcière, et l’utilise pour délivrer Hänsel. Mélisande (Pelléas et Mélisande) à Marseille; Elisabetta regina d’Inghilterra, Francesca di Foix perdus. Une brume épaisse se lève et ils sont Isolier (Le Comte Ory) à La Scala de Milan; et Adelaide di Borgogna. En 2002, Jennifer effrayés. 14 Cependant, la brume s’atténue et La sorcière demande à Gretel de vérifi er si le Dorabella (Così fan tutte) au Festival de Larmore a été nommée Chevalier de l’ordre laisse apparaître un petit marchand de sable qui four est allumé, mais Gretel feint la stupidité Salzbourg; Romeo (I Capuleti e i Montecchi) des arts et des lettres en reconnaissance de sa verse de la poussière de sommeil sur les yeux et lui demande de lui montrer ce qu’il faut au Carnegie Hall de New York, à l’Opéra de contribution au monde de la musique. des enfants. 15 Après avoir dit leur prière, ils faire. Les enfants poussent alors la sorcière Paris-Bastille et à Genève; L’Italiana in Algeri s’endorment ensemble. La brume les enveloppe dans le four et claquent la porte. 11 – 12 Le au Deutsche Oper de Berlin, à Paris et à Née au Pays de Galles, Rebecca Evans (Gretel) et se transforme en un escalier de nuages, et four explose et les fi gures en pain d’épice de Vienne; Ruggiero (Alcina) au Chicago Lyric a fait ses études musicales à la Guildhall School quatorze anges descendent pour protéger les la clôture redeviennent les enfants qui avaient Opera; Sesto (La clemenza di Tito) au Gran of Music and Drama de Londres, et a bénéfi cié enfants pendant la nuit. 16 Pantomime. été cuits. 13 Les parents de Hänsel et Gretel Teatro del Liceu de Barcelone; le rôle titre du soutien de la Peter Moores Foundation arrivent. Au milieu de la joie générale, tous dans Carmen à l’Opéra de Washington; Giulio afi n de parfaire sa formation avec Ronald COMPACT DISC TWO découvrent que la sorcière a été transformée en Cesare au Metropolitan Opera et à Madrid; Schneider à Berlin. Au Royal Opera de Covent un gâteau en pain d’épice. le rôle titre dans Orfeo à Madrid; Orlovsky Garden, elle a chanté les rôles de Pamina (Die Acte III (Die Fledermaus) au Japon et au Metropolitan Zauberfl öte), Zerlina (Don Giovanni), Nannetta Traduction: Francis Marchal La chaumière en pain d’épice Opera, Hänsel (Hänsel und Gretel) au (Falstaff ) et Johanna (Sweeney Todd ). Elle se 1 Introduction. 2 – 3 Au lever du jour, la fée Metropolitan Opera et aux BBC Proms de produit régulièrement au Bayerische Staatsoper Rosée réveille les enfants en répandant sur eux Née à Atlanta, Jennifer Larmore (Hänsel) Londres; Giulietta (Les Contes d’Hoffmann) au de Munich où elle a interprété les rôles de quelques gouttes de rosée. 4 Pendant qu’ils a étudié au Westminster Choir College de Royal Opera de Covent Garden, et le rôle titre Nannetta sous la direction de Zubin Mehta, jouent la brume se lève et ils aperçoivent une Princeton dans le New Jersey puis en privé avec dans La Cenerentola au Metropolitan Opera. Sophie (Der Rosenkavalier), Zdenka (Arabella),

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CCHANHAN 3143(2)3143(2) Book.inddBook.indd 50-5150-51 330/4/070/4/07 10:03:0310:03:03 Servilia (La clemenza di Tito), Ilia (Idomeneo) Nannetta (Falstaff ) sous la direction de Sir English” de Chandos, ainsi que La forza del (Pelléas et Mélisande) et Wotan/le Voyageur et Susanna (Le nozze di Figaro). Elle a incarné John Eliot Gardiner, plusieurs enregistrement destino avec José Carreras, Il trovatore avec errant dans le cycle du Ring produit à l’English le rôle d’Ilia à l’Opéra de Hollande et à l’Opéra d’opéras de Gilbert et Sullivan sous la direction Placido Domingo, Elijah de Mendelssohn National Opera de Londres. de Lausanne; le rôle titre dans Le Petit Renard de Sir Charles Mackerras, et un disque de (pour Chandos), La Vestale, Les Contes En concert, Robert Hayward a chanté rusé au Scottish Opera; Pamina, Susanna, Ilia, mélodies italiennes. Elle a interprété le rôle d’Hoffmann, et la Deuxième Symphonie de dans Belshazzar’s Feast de Walton, The Mask Marzelline (Fidelio), Norina (Don Pasquale) et de Belinda dans le fi lm Dido and Aeneas Mahler. of Time de Tippett, Elijah de Mendelssohn, Hero (Béatrice et Bénédict) au Welsh National (également publié par Chandos), et a animé sa la Neuvième Symphonie de Beethoven, Die Opera, Romilda (Xerxes) et Ginevra (Ariodante) propre série “A Touch of Classics” pour la BBC Robert Hayward (le Père) a étudié à la Schöpfung de Haydn, The Dream of Gerontius à l’English National Opera. Television avec le BBC National Orchestra du Guildhall School of Music and Drama de d’Elgar, le Requiem de Mozart, Das klagende Elle a également développé une importante Pays de Galles. Londres et au National Opera Studio. Il a fait Lied et Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen de carrière lyrique aux États-Unis où elle a chanté ses débuts professionnels à l’opéra dans le rôle Mahler. Ses enregistrements incluent le rôle Susanna et Zerlina au Metropolitan Opera Rosalind Plowright (la Mère) s’est produite titre de Don Giovanni avec le Glyndebourne du Docteur Schön (Lulu) dans la série “Opera de New York; Susanna à l’Opéra de Santa Fe; dans presque tous les grands théâtres lyriques Touring Opera. Il s’est produit au Royal Opera in English” de Chandos, et The Pilgrim’s Pamina et Adèle (Die Fledermaus) au Lyric du monde incluant de nouvelles productions de Covent Garden, à l’English National Opera, Progress, de Vaughan Williams, également pour Opera de Chicago; Zerlina, Anne Trulove à Covent Garden, à l’English National Opera, au Welsh National Opera, à l’Opera North, au Chandos. (The Rake’s Progress) et Adina (L’elisir d’amore) à Paris, Hambourg, Frankfort, Munich, Scottish Opera, au Festival de Glyndebourne à l’Opéra de San Francisco. Berlin, au Staatsoper de Vienne, à Athènes, au et avec le Glyndebourne Touring Opera, au Jane Henschel (la Sorcière) est née dans le Rebecca Evans s’est produite en concert Metropolitan Opera et au Carnegie Hall de Bayerische Staatsoper de Munich, au Grand Wisconsin. Après avoir étudié à l’Université aux BBC Proms de Londres, dans les festivals New York, à San Francisco, Dallas, Houston, Opéra de Houston, au Nouvel Opéra d’Israël, de la Californie du Sud, elle s’est installée en internationaux d’Édimbourg et de Melbourne, San Diego, La Scala de Milan, Vérone, au Minnesota Opera dans un vaste répertoire Allemagne. Elle a chanté les rôles de Baba la et a participé à des concerts de gala avec Florence, La Fenice de Venise, Barcelone, incluant les rôles de Wotan et du Voyageur Turque (The Rake’s Progress) aux festivals de Andrea Bocelli et Luciano Pavarotti. En récital, Buenos Aires et Santiago. errant dans Der Ring des Nibelungen, Amfortas Glyndebourne, Saito Kinen et Salzbourg; elle a chanté au Wigmore Hall de Londres, Rosalind Plowright est revenue à Covent (Parsifal), Jokanaan (Salome), Figaro et le Brangäne (Tristan und Isolde) à l’Opéra de Los et dans les festivals de Barcelone, Ravinia, Garden pour Sweeney Todd et a fait ses comte Almaviva (Le nozze di Figaro), les rôles Angeles et à l’Opéra de Paris; Clytemnestre Buxton, Belfast et Beaulieu-sur-Mer. débuts au Maggio Musicale de Florence titre dans Die fl iegende Holländer, Mazeppa, (Elektra) à l’Opéra de San Francisco; la Ses enregistrements incluent Marzellina dans deux opéras de Luigi Dallapiccola. Ses Saul, Eugène Onéguine et Don Giovanni, Iago Princesse (Suor Angelica) avec l’Orchestre (Fidelio), Pamina (Die Zauberfl öte), Susanna enregistrements incluent la reine Élisabeth (Otello), Ford (Falstaff ), Scarpia (Tosca), royal du Concertgebouw sous la direction de (Le nozze di Figaro) et Ilia (Idomeneo) pour la premier (Maria Stuarda), Desdemona (Otello) Marcello (La bohème), Escamillo (Carmen), Riccardo Chailly; les Dialogues des Carmélites série “Opera in English” de Chandos, ainsi que et Amneris (Aida) pour la série “Opera in Nick Shadow (The Rake’s Progress), Golaud à Amsterdam; Kostelnicˇka (Jenu˚fa) sous

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CCHANHAN 3143(2)3143(2) Book.inddBook.indd 52-5352-53 330/4/070/4/07 10:03:0410:03:04 la direction de Seiji Ozawa au Japon et elle a obtenu le “Queen’s Commendation for produite au Royal Opera de Covent Garden à Les nombreux enregistrements de Diana Kabanicka (Katya Kabanova) au Festival de Excellence”. Londres, au Metropolitan Opera de New York, Montague incluent l’Orfeo de Monteverdi, Salzbourg. Sarah Tynan est membre (“Company au Théâtre de la Monnaie à Bruxelles, à l’Opéra I Capuleti e i Montecchi, Norma, Iphigénie Au Royal Opera de Covent Garden, elle a Principal”) de l’English National Opera où elle national de Paris-Bastille, au Teatro Colon de en Tauride; pour Opera Rara Rosmonda chanté Fricka et Waltraute, Ulrica (Un ballo a interprété les rôles de Tytania (A Midsummer Buenos Aires et aux festivals de Bayreuth et d’Inghilterra, Zoraida di Granata et Il crociato in maschera), Clytemnestre, Mrs. Grose (The Night’s Dream), Papagena (Die Zauberfl öte), Salzbourg. in Egitto; dans la série “Opera in English” de Turn of the Screw); à La Scala de Milan elle a Iphis (Jephtha), Atalanta (Xerxes), Yum-Yum Son répertoire inclut les grands rôles Chandos, Cherubino (The Marriage of Figaro), incarné Hérodiade (Salomé) et Cassandre (Les (The Mikado) et Sœur Constance (Dialogues de mezzo-soprano des opéras de Mozart, Idamante (Idomeneo), Cavalleria rusticana, Troyens). Ses rôles au Bayerische Staatsoper de des Carmélites). D’autres engagements incluent Gluck, Strauss, Rossini, Bellini et Berlioz. Octavian dans Der Rosenkavalier (extraits), Munich incluent Hérodiade, Clytemnestre, le rôle de Tytania au Théâtre de La Monnaie Elle s’est produite dans Benvenuto Cellini Faust, et deux disques “Great Operatic Arias”. Ulrica, Mrs. Quickly (Falstaff ) et Ortrud de Bruxelles; Bella (The Midsummer Marriage) à l’Opéra de Rome; Iphigénie en Tauride à (Lohengrin); au Deutsche Oper de Berlin, au St Endellion Festival sous la direction de Buenos Aires, Madrid et au Welsh National Le New London Children’s Choir a été fondé Clytemnestre, Hérodiade et Ortrud; au Richard Hickox; Pretty Polly dans Punch and Opera; Albert Herring, Cherubino (Le en 1991 par son directeur musical Ronald Corp Staatsoper de Vienne, Clytemnestre, Fricka et Judy de Harrison Birtwistle au Teatro Nacional nozze di Figaro) et Andromaca (Ermione de dans le but d’introduire des enfants au challenge Mrs. Quickly. Son rôle signature est celui de San João de Porto; la Gouvernante dans The Rossini) à Glyndebourne; Le Comte Ory à et à la joie de chanter et d’interpréter tous les la Nourrice (Die Frau ohne Schatten) qu’elle Turn of the Screw de Britten pour une tournée Lausanne, Rome et Glyndebourne; dans le genres de musique. Le Chœur a réalisé des a interprété à Amsterdam, Londres, Los du British Council en Russie; Elsie Maynard rôle de Proserpina (Orfeo de Monteverdi) dizaines d’enregistrements et de programmes Angeles, Munich, Paris, Vienne, Berlin et au (The Yeomen of the Guard) et Gianetta à Amsterdam; dans Ariadne auf Naxos à radiophoniques, et a été invité par de nombreux Metropolitan Opera de New York. (The Gondoliers) au Phoenix Opera. Lisbonne; dans le rôle de Marguerite (La grands festivals. Les enregistrements de Jane Henschel Sarah Tynan a enregistré les rôles de Sœur Damnation de Faust) à Vienne et Genève; Le New London Children’s Choir s’est incluent Verlobung im Traum de Hans Krása, Constance (The Carmelites) et Barbarina Minerva (Il ritorno d’Ulisse in patria) à produit en concert à Londres dans la The Rake’s Progress, Merlin d’Albéniz, The (The Marriage of Figaro) pour la série “Opera Amsterdam et Sydney; dans Die Meistersinger Huitième Symphonie de Mahler avec le Royal Turn of the Screw de Britten, et la Huitième in English” de Chandos. von Nürnberg au Royal Opera de Covent Philharmonic Orchestra au Royal Albert Hall, Symphonie de Mahler. Garden, dans le rôle de Junon (Platée de dans la Troisième Symphonie de Mahler avec Née à Winchester, Diana Montague Rameau) avec le Royal Opera de Covent le London Symphony Orchestra au Barbican Née à Londres, Sarah Tynan (la fée Rosée) a (le Marchand de sable) a étudié au Royal Garden au Festival d’Édimbourg et à Londres; Center, dans Carmina Burana avec le Royal étudié au Royal Northern College of Music Northern College of Music de Manchester. et Octavian (Der Rosenkavalier) à l’English Philharmonic Orchestra au Royal Festival Hall de Manchester et à la Royal Academy of Depuis ses débuts dans le rôle de Zerlina avec National Opera, à Bilbao et au Teatro Real de et avec le Bach Choir au Royal Festival Hall, et Music de Londres (avec Penelope Mackay) où le Touring Opera de Glyndebourne, elle s’est Madrid. dans trois concerts de Blue Peter aux BBC Proms.

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CCHANHAN 3143(2)3143(2) Book.inddBook.indd 54-5554-55 330/4/070/4/07 10:03:0510:03:05 La riche discographie du New London il joue également un rôle central dans la version primée de Tosca ainsi que plusieurs Opera (1970 –1977), et au Welsh National Children’s Choir inclut Turandot et Carmen vie musicale britannique en choisissant des récitals solistes d’airs lyriques avec Bruce Ford, Opera dont il fut directeur musical de 1987 à dans la série “Opera in English” de Chandos, résidences régionales qui sont l’occasion Diana Montague, Dennis O’Neill, Alastair 1992. Il a été un défenseur de la musique de Casse-Noisette de Tchaïkovski, le Chant des idéale de développer un programme éducatif Miles, Yvonne Kenny et John Tomlinson. Janácˇek dans les capitales européennes, aux forêts de Chostakovitch, Ivan le Terrible de dynamique centré sur la communauté. Le Philharmonia Orchestra consolide USA et en Australie. Jenu˚fa est l’une de ses Prokofi ev, et St Nicolas de Britten. Lauréat de nombreux prix, l’ensemble a été constamment sa réputation internationale œuvres préférées. salué unanimement par les critiques pour grâce à des tournées régulières et récemment Il a entretenu une longue collaboration avec Reconnu comme l’un des plus grands ses programmes innovateurs dont l’un des de prestigieuses résidences au Châtelet Théâtre la Philharmonie tchèque et a enregistré à la tête orchestres du monde, le Philharmonia objectifs principaux est l’interprétation et la Musical à Paris, au Megaron à Athènes et au de cette formation la plupart des œuvres pour Orchestra a depuis dix ans le grand maestro commande d’œuvres nouvelles des plus grands Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts à New orchestre de Janácˇek, ainsi que Kat’á Kabanová allemand Christoph von Dohnányi pour chef compositeurs d’aujourd’hui. York. et Rusalka de Dvorˇák. Sa vaste discographie principal. Le premier à avoir tenu ce poste fut Un nombre croissant de concerts de inclut le cycle primé des opéras de Janácˇek Otto Klemperer et l’Orchestre depuis lors a l’Orchestre sont retransmis par BBC Radio 3, Sir Charles Mackerras étudia au Conservatoire réalisé avec le Wiener Philharmoniker au collaboré avec succès avec Lorin Maazel (au entre autres sa participation annuelle aux de Musique de Sydney et vint en Angleterre en début des années 1980. Pour Chandos, il poste de chef principal assistant), Ricardo Promenade Concerts de la BBC. L’orchestre 1947. Il obtint une bourse du British Council a enregistré la version originale de la Messe Muti (chef principal et directeur musical), symphonique le plus enregistré au monde, avec pour continuer ses études à l’Académie de Glagolitique de Janácˇek, le Psalmus Hungaricus Giuseppe Sinopoli (directeur musical), une plus de mille disques à son actif, parmi lesquels Musique de Prague. Son vif intérêt et sa de Kodály et le Concerto pour violoncelle de tradition qui se poursuit aujourd’hui avec Kurt plusieurs bandes originales pour le cinéma et passion pour la musique de Janácˇek commença Dvorˇák. Dans la série Opera in English, il a Sanderling (chef émérite), Vladimir Ashkenazy la télévision, le Philharmonia Orchestra est en 1947 après avoir entendu l’opéra Kat’á enregistré Osud, La traviata, Werther, Julius (chef lauréat) et Sir Charles Mackerras (chef réputé dans le monde entier. Kabanová dirigé par le grand Václav Talich. Caesar, Mary Stuart, Eugene Onegin, Jenu˚fa, principal invité). L’ensemble a également été Sa discographie comprend, pour Opera C’est en qualité de chef assistant au Sadler’s The Magic Flute, The Bartered Bride et associé à des personnalités aussi éminentes Rara, plusieurs disques de récitals ainsi que Wells qu’il donna la première de Kat’á The Makropulos Case. que Wilhelm Furtwängler, Richard Strauss, treize intégrales d’opéras et, pour Opera in Kabanová dans un pays de langue anglaise Charles Mackerras a également fait Arturo Toscanini, Guido Cantelli, Herbert von English chez Chandos, série fi nancée par en 1951. Plus tard, il présenta L’Affaire d’importantes recherches dans le domaine Karajan et Carlo Maria Giulini. L’Orchestre la Peter Moores Foundation The Marriage Makropoulos et La Maison des morts au Sadler’s de la musique du dix-huitième siècle, en continue à collaborer avec des chefs et des of Figaro, The Thieving Magpie, Wozzeck, Wells. Il continua à diriger des productions particulier Haendel et Mozart. Il a enregistré solistes de stature mondiale et recrute les jeunes Don Giovanni, The Elixir of Love, Lucia très acclamées d’opéras de Janácˇek ainsi que une série consacrée aux opéras de Mozart instrumentistes les plus talentueux d’Europe. of Lammermoor, Faust, Carmen, Aïda, La des ouvrages du répertoire habituel quand il et à ceux de Gilbert et Sullivan, ainsi que les Orchestre résident au Royal Festival Hall, Bohème, Madam Butterfl y, Turandot, une devint directeur musical de l’English National cycles complets des symphonies de Mozart,

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CCHANHAN 3143(2)3143(2) Book.inddBook.indd 56-5756-57 330/4/070/4/07 10:03:0710:03:07 Beethoven et Brahms, plusieurs oratorios Charles Mackerras fut nommé commandeur On session: Sarah Tynan de Haendel et des symphonies de Mahler et de l’empire britannique (CBE) en 1974 Elgar. Il est actuellement chef principal invité et anobli en 1979. Il a reçu la Médaille du du Philharmonia Orchestra, chef lauréat du Mérite de la République tchèque en 1996 et Scottish Chamber Orchestra et chef émérite fait Companion of the Order of Australia en du Welsh National Opera et du San Francisco 1997. En 2003, la reine Elizabeth II l’a nommé Opera. Companion of Honour.

On session: Rosalind Plowright

CCHANHAN 3143(2)3143(2) Book.inddBook.indd 58-5958-59 330/4/070/4/07 10:03:0810:03:08 avrebbero perso il proprio potere dopo un paio indubbio sollievo, che la madre/matrigna nel Hansel, Gretel e Humperdinck di generazioni e sarebbero scomparse. I fratelli frattempo è morta. Grimm e i loro seguaci salvarono gran parte Non è necessario fare necessariamente Talvolta ci si chiede se Hänsel und Gretel sia addirittura agli adulti. L’opera di Humperdinck di questo materiale che diversamente sarebbe ricorso all’approccio freudiano per rilevare veramente un’opera per bambini o per adulti. contiene molte scene divertenti, diversi stato perduto per sempre. il collegamento occulto tra la fi gura della La risposta, naturalmente, è che è per tutt’e momenti confortanti e un lieto fi ne, ma è Hansel e Gretel comparve nella prima madre/matrigna e quella della strega, due. Ai bambini piacciono i motivi facili e i piena anche di elementi inquietanti. Succede, edizione delle loro fi abe. La storia è ancora soprattutto considerata la morte più o giochi cantati, la comicità grottesca della strega normalmente, nelle favole, soprattutto in più crudele dell’adattamento realizzato dalla meno contemporanea di entrambe. Questo con le sue mostruose abitudini alimentari e le quelle dei fratelli Grimm. sorella di Humperdinck, Adelheid Wette, rapporto psicologico è evidenziato negli apparizioni soprannaturali, culminanti nella I due fratelli tedeschi, Jacob Ludwig e che poi divenne la sua opera più famosa. allestimenti dell’opera in cui i due ruoli sequenza della Pantomima del sogno che, negli (1785 –1863) e Wilhelm Carl (1786 –1859) Il padre e la madre di Hansel e Gretel (la vengono interpretati dalla stessa cantante allestimenti tradizionali, vede l’ingresso di Grimm furono illustri accademici ed esperti di madre si sarebbe poi trasformata in matrigna, (per quanto questa non fosse l’intenzione quattordici angeli che scendono da una scala tradizioni popolari ante litteram. Pubblicarono personaggio un po’ meno inquietante, nella di Humperdinck e non è stata seguita nella per proteggere i bambini addormentati nella importanti volumi sulla grammatica, il seconda edizione e in quelle successive) sono presente registrazione). Un’altra tradizione foresta. Ma queste cose piacciono anche al vocabolario e il lessico tedesco, ma la loro talmente poveri che decidono di “perdere” i negli allestimenti, comune soprattutto in bambino che si nasconde dentro ognuno di opera più famosa fu il volume, curato da bambini nella foresta, per potere avere di che Germania, è quella di affi dare il ruolo della noi. Gli adulti probabilmente apprezzeranno entrambi, dal titolo Kinder- und Hausmärchen sfamarsi. È la madre a concepire l’idea e a strega a un tenore travestito da donna. inoltre la ricca orchestrazione di Humperdinck, del 1812, poi pervenuto alle generazioni convincere il marito, contro la sua volontà. Al Entrambe sono idee interessanti, che però la delicata armonia, la sempre valida invenzione moderne, grazie a frequenti ristampe, e meglio primo tentativo, Hansel riesce a salvarsi con la si escludono a vicenda. Che la versione di melodica e il magistrale contrappunto, e la noto come Fiabe dei fratelli Grimm. Prima di sorellina grazie a un furbo accorgimento (lascia Wette/Humperdinck non solo consenta a straordinaria varietà di stati d’animo e tessiture, allora era stato pubblicato un numero ridotto cadere sassolini lucenti lungo il percorso e per Gertrud di vivere ma di rallegrarsi di ritrovare i che vanno da complessità quasi wagneriane quelle che oggi chiamiamo fi abe, ma il successo ritornare seguendoli a ritroso), ma la seconda fi gli aggiunge all’epilogo un calore profondo a a un’esuberanza danzante che ricorda Johann della raccolta dei fratelli Grimm incoraggiò volta è costretto a utilizzare briciole di pane, modo suo quanto la cupa versione dei Grimm, Strauss. Tutti aspetti che apprezzano anche i la creazione di molte altre collezioni in tutta che verranno prevedibilmente mangiate dagli assicurando con più probabilità il successo bambini, almeno a livello inconscio, pur non Europa, creando un nuovo genere letterario uccelli. I due bambini si smarriscono, scoprono teatrale. conoscendo Wagner o il contrappunto. Ecco importante. L’iniziativa arrivava al momento la strega e la sua casa, poi uccidono la vecchia L’opera di Humperdinck appartiene un’opera per tutti. giusto: a causa dei profondi cambiamenti nella come nell’opera (anche se non liberano altri alla sottocategoria tedesca delle cosiddette Più diffi cile è decidere se questa fi aba, o se società europea durante l’Ottocento, molte di bambini trasformati in dolci), poi riescono Märchenoper, o in questo caso Märchenspiel le fi abe in generale, sia adatta ai bambini o queste storie popolari della tradizione oralme a ritrovare la via di casa, dove scoprono, con (opere fi abesche: come vedremo, Hänsel und

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CCHANHAN 3143(2)3143(2) Book.inddBook.indd 60-6160-61 330/4/070/4/07 10:03:1310:03:13 Gretel originariamente non fu un’opera). La della pace, 1914) evidenziano la sua voce di vista ritmico, ma lasciate molto più vaghe lezioni di pianoforte a sette anni e dopo tradizione si sviluppò sulla scia del rinnovato propria, talvolta originale e valida, purtroppo per quanto riguarda il tono – prima di aver assistito alla sua prima opera all’età di interesse per il racconto popolare o fi abesco soffocata dal tremendo fracasso di quella, ben raggiungere la forma fi nale di opera completa quattordici anni iniziò a comporre. Sebbene suscitato dai fratelli Grimm e raggiunse la superiore, del padre. nel 1910. Königskinder non viene riproposta il padre ostacolasse le sue ambizioni musicali, sua piena fi oritura alla fi ne dell’Ottocento All’inizio Adelheid Wette chiese al fratello spesso, ma quando questo accade la partitura gli permise di iscriversi al conservatorio e all’inizio del Novecento. In questo genere solo di musicare alcuni Lieder per un lavoro si rivela ricca e affascinante. Probabilmente di Colonia a diciotto anni. Humperdinck si specializzarono una serie di compositori, teatrale ispirato ad Hansel e Gretel (alcuni dei non ebbe un successo più ampio perché il studiò coscienziosamente per diversi soprattutto lo stesso Humperdinck, che si passaggi più semplici dell’opera, compresi suo tono è tanto più tenebroso di quello di anni con maestri minori come Hiller, ispirò ancora una volta ai fratelli Grimm quelli che attingono a veri canti popolari, Hansel e Gretel. I fi gli del re del titolo – la loro Rheinberger e Lachner, e vinse una serie per Die sieben Geislein (I sette capretti) nel rispecchiano questi esordi). In seguito il simbolica nobiltà non è ereditata nel caso di di premi. Ancora più importante fu il suo 1895, a Charles Perrault per Dornröschen lavoro fu ampliato e trasformato in Singspiel, uno dei due, ma in qualche misterioso senso incontro (1880) con Richard Wagner, che (La bella addormentata) nel 1902, e a in cui si alternano parti cantate e recitate. risulta innata – alla fi ne muoiono. Forse, lo invitò successivamente a Bayreuth, dove un racconto popolare inventato di Ernst Un ampliamento ulteriore lo trasformò in dopo tutto, il pubblico preferisce il lieto Humperdinck fu suo assistente musicale Rosmer (pseudonimo del drammaturgo un’opera completa, con alcune consistenti fi ne. A giudicare dalla qualità di queste due nella preparazione del primo allestimento del Else Bernstein-Porges, che sarebbe sezioni orchestrali. La straordinaria coerenza opere, forse è un peccato che il resto della Parsifal nel 1882. sopravvissuto al campo di concentramento del risultato fi nale è in sé un miracolo. Le produzione di Humperdinck sia rimasto Durante la sua carriera, Humperdinck fu di Terezín, spegnendosi a 82 anni nel 1949) transizioni di Humperdinck sono talmente ignorato. Il compositore appare vittima del insegnante e critico a periodi alterni, ma le per Königskinder (I fi gli del re, versione abili che non si notano discrepanze. È un suo primo successo, come altri il cui nome sue sorti cambiarono con il successo dell’opera fi nale 1910). L’altro importante esponente esempio perfetto del precetto di Wagner: l’arte rimane legato solo a un’opera, per esempio fi abesca Hänsel und Gretel, che raggiunse fu Siegfried, fi glio di Richard Wagner della composizione è l’arte della transizione. Mascagni e Leoncavallo. Tutti volevano le scene poco prima del Natale 1893. (1869–1930), egli stesso infl uenzato da Cosa interessante, Königskinder (I fi gli semplicemente un’altra Hansel e Gretel. Anche L’accoglienza fu spettacolare: in un anno fu Humperdinck, che compose diciotto opere, del re), la seconda delle opere famose di questo è comprensibile. Non appena ne lesse accettata da ben settantadue teatri e poi entrò diverse delle quali sono Märchenoper, Humperdinck, si sviluppò secondo linee la partitura, Richard Strauss la salutò come un nel repertorio. un genere da lui esplorato non per le sue simili. Inizialmente concepita come musica di capolavoro; ed era senz’altro un intenditore. Il compositore continuò a produrre opere, qualità di evasione, ma come mezzo di scena per un lavoro teatrale nel 1894, fu poi Ciononostante, Humperdinck ebbe una per lo più comiche o fi abesche, ma Hänsel affrontare diffi cili problematiche morali rimaneggiata (1897) come melodramma con lunga e distinta carriera di compositore e und Gretel rimane l’esempio più signifi cativo, ed emotive. Recenti revival di brani come la tecnica dello Sprechgesang – successivamente maestro. Vale la pena di ricordare in breve e riscosse un’enorme fama internazionale, Schwarzschwanenreich (Il regno del Cigno adottato da Schoenberg e Berg, in cui le la sua biografi a. Nato a Siegburg, nei pressi dimostrata dal fatto che, nel 1910, il nero, 1910) e Der Friedensengel (L’angelo parole sono annotate esattamente dal punto di Colonia, nel 1854, iniziò a prendere Metropolitan di New York allestì la prima

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CCHANHAN 3143(2)3143(2) Book.inddBook.indd 62-6362-63 330/4/070/4/07 10:03:1410:03:14 di Königskinder. Il successivo impegno di un per la prima volta nel Regno Unito, presso il diretta inizialmente da Vladimir Jurowski, felici nella stanza. 8 – 9 Peter rimane certo rilievo portò Humperdinck a Londra, Daly’s Theatre di Londra, in inglese. Nell’aprile che aprì presso il New Theatre di Cardiff il inorridito quando viene a sapere che i bambini su richiesta del grande regista teatrale Max successivo era già stata rappresentata qui cento 10 dicembre 1998. non sono a casa e sono stati inviati nel bosco Reinhardt. Ispirato a una leggenda medievale volte. Quando il Daly’s fu richiesto per un a raccogliere fragole: nella foresta abita una © 2007 George Hall trasformata in dramma da Karl Vollmöller, lo altro spettacolo, Hansel and Gretel si trasferì al strega che attira i bambini nella sua casetta e li spettacolare The Miracle vide la prima nelle Gaiety, dove fu proposta nel corso di alcune inforna vivi per trasformarli in biscotti! I due si sale dell’esposizione di Olympia nel 1911, matinée insieme con Bastien and Bastienne, Sinossi precipitano fuori a cercare i bambini. e Humperdinck compose una partitura di una delle prime commedie di Mozart. In accompagnamento. La vicenda narra la storia seguito si trasferì al Princess’s Theatre, quindi COMPACT DISC ONE Atto II di una suora che abbandona l’ordine per fare al Savoy. Il pubblico del Covent Garden vi Nel bosco esperienza di vita, ma scopre al suo ritorno assistè per la prima volta nel 1896, quando 1 Ouverture 10 Preludio. 11 – 12 Gretel intreccia una da penitente che la sua mancanza non è stata venne eseguita ancora una volta in inglese. Atto I ghirlanda di fi ori, mentre Hansel mangia le notata perché il suo posto è stato occupato Nel 1923 lo spettacolo in inglese allestito dalla La casa del fabbricante di scope fragole che ha raccolto. Quando hanno fi nito nientemeno che dalla vergine Maria. La British National Opera Company al Covent Lasciati a casa dai genitori, Hansel fabbrica le fragole, i bambini cominciano a cercarne produzione di Reinhardt, che impegnò ogni Garden divenne la prima opera radiotrasmessa scope per il padre, mentre sua sorella Gretel altre, ma ormai si è fatto buio 13 e capiscono sera migliaia di interpreti, fu riproposta a in Europa dalla BBC. prepara delle calze a maglia. 2 – 4 Per di essersi smarriti. Si alza una fi tta nebbia e New York nel 1924 e fi lmata due volte. Le La prima americana ebbe luogo presso Daly’s distrarre il fratello, Gretel gli canta una i bambini hanno paura, 14 ma poi la nebbia altre opere di Humperdinck comprendono Theatre di New York l’8 ottobre 1895, sempre canzone; Hansel si unisce a lei e ben presto si dirada e compare il nano Sabbiolino, che musica di scena (soprattutto una sequenza per in lingua inglese. L’opera entrò nel repertorio tutti e due cantano e ballano. 5 – 6 Quando sparge polvere sui loro occhi. 15 Dopo aver Shakespeare, composta anche in questo caso del Metropolitan il 25 novembre 1905 (il rientra Gertrude, la madre, va su tutte le furie recitato le preghiere della sera, i bambini si per Reinhardt), brani corali, lieder e musica da compositore fu presente al primo spettacolo), e vedendo che i fi gli hanno lavorato pochissimo addormentano insieme. La nebbia li avvolge camera. Il compositore morì a Neustrelitz, non il giorno di Natale del 1931 fu la prima a essere e accidentalmente rovescia la brocca del latte. e si trasforma in una scala di nuvole, mentre lontano da Berlino, nel 1921. trasmessa dal vivo dal Met. Tra gli allestimenti Presa dall’ira, spedisce i bambini a raccogliere quattordici angeli scendono a proteggerli Fu Richard Strauss – grande direttore oltre recenti di maggior successo nel Regno Unito fragole nel bosco, poi si siede e si addormenta, durante la notte. 16 Pantomima. che grande compositore di opere liriche – a ricordiamo la versione di David Pountney per esausta. dirigere la prima esecuzione di Hänsel und English National Opera, che aprì al London COMPACT DISC TWO Gretel al Teatro di Corte di Weimar la sera Coliseum il 16 dicembre 1987 inizialmente 7 Rientra Peter, il padre dei bambini, dell’antivigilia di Natale del 1893. Il giorno con la direzione di Mark Elder, e quella di trionfante. È riuscito a vendere tutte le scope e Atto III di Santo Stefano del 1894, l’opera fu allestita Richard Jones per la Welsh National Opera, ha portato del cibo a casa. I genitori danzano La casetta di panpepato

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CCHANHAN 3143(2)3143(2) Book.inddBook.indd 64-6564-65 330/4/070/4/07 10:03:1710:03:17 1 Introduzione. 2 – 3 Mentre albeggia, Originaria di Atlanta, Jennifer Larmore e in concerto ai Prom BBC; Giulietta (Les dove ha interpretato i ruoli di Nannetta con arriva la fata della rugiada e ne spruzza (Hansel) ha studiato presso il Westminster Contes d’Hoffmann) alla Royal Opera House, la direzione di Zubin Mehta, Sophie (Der alcune gocce sui bambini per svegliarli. Choir College di Princeton, New Jersey e Covent Garden, e il ruolo di protagonista ne Rosenkavalier), Zdenka (Arabella), Servilia 4 Mentre i fratelli giocano, la nebbia si poi privatamente con John Bullock e Regina La Cenerentola alla Metropolitan Opera. (La clemenza di Tito), Ilia (Idomeneo) e dissolve e compare una casetta di panpepato Resnik. È famosa per le sue interpretazioni Con oltre settanta titoli al suo attivo, Susanna (Le nozze di Figaro). Ha cantato circondata da uno steccato di fi gure di dei ruoli di coloratura del repertorio barocco Jennifer Larmore è il mezzosoprano più Ilia per la Netherlands Opera e per l’Opéra panpepato. 5 – 6 I bambini lo spezzano e belcantistico. Il suo nome è associato registrato di tutti i tempi. La discografi a de Lausanne; è stata protagonista di The per mangiarlo, ma vengono sorpresi dalla soprattutto con il ruolo di Rosina (Il barbiere comprende una registrazione di Great Cunning Little Vixen per la Scottish Opera; ha strega che cattura Hansel gettandogli una di Siviglia), interpretato alla Metropolitan Operatic Arias per la serie Opera in English interpretato i ruoli di Pamina, Susanna, Ilia, fune intorno al collo. 7 – 9 Il bambino Opera, alla Staatsoper di Berlino, a Bonn, di Chandos, oltre a Lucia di Lammermoor, Marzelline (Fidelio), Norina (Don Pasquale) cerca di liberarsi, ma la strega getta un Parigi, San Francisco e Buenos Aires. Giulio Cesare, Orfeo, Il barbiere di Siviglia, e Hero (Beatrice and Benedict) per la Welsh incantesimo sui due fratelli, chiude Hansel Altri ruoli comprendono Giovanna La Cenerentola e, per Opera Rara, National Opera, Romilda (Xerxes) e Ginevra nella stalla e spedisce Gretel in casa ad Seymour (Anna Bolena) a Nizza; Mélisande L’incoronazione di Poppea, Bianca e Falliero, (Ariodante) per la English National Opera. apparecchiare. 10 Ma Gretel ricorda (Pelléas et Mélisande) a Marsiglia; Isolier (Le Elisabetta regina d’Inghilterra, Francesca Rebecca Evans ha un’importante carriera l’incantesimo della strega e lo utilizza per Comte Ory) alla Scala di Milano; Dorabella di Foix, e Adelaide di Borgogna. Per il suo teatrale in America e ha cantato Susanna e liberare il fratello. (Così fan tutte) al Festival di Salisburgo; contributo al mondo della musica, la cantante Zerlina alla Metropolitan Opera, New York, La strega chiede a Gretel di controllare Romeo (I Capuleti e i Montecchi) al Carnegie è stata insignita del titolo di Chevalier de Susanna alla Santa Fe Opera; Pamina e Adèle il forno, ma la bambina fa fi nta di non Hall di New York, all’Opéra de Paris-Bastille l’ordre des arts et des lettres nel 2002. (Die Fledermaus) alla Lyric Opera di Chicago capire e le chiede di mostrarle come si fa. e a Ginevra; L’italiana in Algeri alla Deutsche e Zerlina, Anne Trulove (The Rake’s Progress) I bambini spingono in fretta la vecchia nel Oper di Berlino, oltre che a Parigi e Vienna; Rebecca Evans (Gretel) è nata nel Galles del e Adina (L’elisir d ’amore ) alla San Francisco forno e chiudono la porta. 11 – 12 Il forno Ruggiero (Alcina) con la Chicago Lyric sud, ha studiato presso la Guildhall School Opera. esplode e le fi gure di panpepato dello steccato Opera; Sesto (La clemenzo di Tito) al Gran of Music and Drama e si è perfezionata In concerto è intervenuta ai Prom BBC e al ridiventano bambini come erano prima di Teatro del Liceu di Barcellona; il ruolo di con Ronald Schneider a Berlino, grazie al Festival Internazionale di Edimburgo; è stata essere stati infornati. 13 Arrivano i genitori protagonista in Carmen con la Washington sostegno della Peter Moores Foundation. ospite di concerti di gala con Andrea Bocelli e di Hansel e Gretel e tra la gioia generale si Opera; Giulio Cesare alla Metropolitan Alla Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, Luciano Pavarotti; è comparsa al Melbourne scopre che la strega si è trasformata in un Opera e a Madrid; il ruolo di protagonista ha cantato Pamina (Die Zauberfl öte), Zerlina International Festival. Si è esibita in recital dolce di panpepato. nell’Orfeo a Madrid; Orlovsky (Die (Don Giovanni), Nannetta (Falstaff ) e alla Wigmore Hall di Londra e ai festival Fledermaus) in Giappone e al Met, Hansel Johanna (Sweeney Todd). È ospite regolare di Barcellona, Ravinia, Buxton, Belfast e Traduzione: Emanuela Guastella (Hänsel und Gretel) alla Metropolitan Opera della Bayerische Staatsoper di Monaco, Beaulieu-sur Mer.

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CCHANHAN 3143(2)3143(2) Book.inddBook.indd 66-6766-67 330/4/070/4/07 10:03:1810:03:18 La discografi a comprende Marzellina due opere di Luigi Dallapiccola. La discografi a (The Rake’s Progress), Golaud (Pelléas et Alla Royal Opera, Covent Garden Jane (Fidelio), Pamina (The Magic Flute), Susanna comprende Queen Elizabeth I (Mary Stuart), Mélisande) e Wotan/Viandante nel ciclo del Henschel ha cantato Fricka e Waltraute, (The Marriage of Figaro) e Ilia (Idomeneo) Desdemona (Otello) e Amneris (Aida) per Ring della English National Opera. Ulrica (Un ballo in maschera), Klytemnestra, per la serie Opera in English di Chandos, la serie Opera in English di Chandos, oltre a Gli impegni concertistici hanno compreso Mrs Grose (The Turn of the Screw); alla oltre a Nannetta (Falstaff ) con sir John Eliot La forza del destino con José Carreras, Belshazzar’s Feast di Walton, The Mask of Time Scala di Milano è stata Erodiade (Salome), Gardiner, a questi ruoli si aggiungono una Il trovatore accanto a Placido Domingo, Elijah di Tippett, Elijah di Mendelssohn, la Nona e Cassandre (Les Troyens). I suoi ruoli serie di registrazioni di musiche di Gilbert di Mendelssohn (per Chandos), La Vestale, sinfonia di Beethoven e la Creazione di Haydn, all’Opera di Monaco comprendono Herodias, and Sullivan con sir Charles Mackerras e una Les Contes d’Hoffmann, e la Seconda sinfonia The Dream of Gerontius di Elgar, il Requiem Klytemnestra, Ulrica, Mistress Quickly registrazione solistica di brani italiani. Ha di Mahler. di Mozart e Das klagende Lied e Lieder eines (Falstaff ) e Ortrud (Lohengrin); alla inoltre cantato Belinda sullo schermo in Dido fahrenden Gesellen di Mahler. La discografi a Deutsche Oper di Berlino Klytemnestra, and Aeneas (sempre pubblicato da Chandos), Robert Hayward (il Padre) ha studiato presso la comprende il Dr Schön (Lulu) nella serie Herodias e Ortrud, all’Opera di Vienna, ed è stata protagonista di una serie televisiva Guildhall School of Music and Drama e presso Opera in English di Chandos, e The Pilgrim’s Klytemnestra, Fricka e Mistress Quickly. per la BBC dal titolo “A Touch of Classics” il National Opera Studio; ha esordito in teatro Progress, sempre per Chandos. Il ruolo che la contraddistingue è quello di con la BBC National Orchestra of Wales. nelle vesti del protagonista di Don Giovanni Amme (Die Frau ohne Schatten), interpretato per la Glyndebourne Touring Opera. Ha Jane Henschel (la Strega) è nata nel Wisconsin, ad Amsterdam, Londra, Los Angeles, Rosalind Plowright (la Madre) si è collaborato con la Royal Opera House, English ha studiato presso la University of Southern Monaco, Parigi, Vienna, Berlino e al esibita praticamente in tutti i maggiori National Opera, Welsh National Opera, California e successivamente si è trasferita in Metropolitan. teatri lirici del mondo e ha interpretato Opera North, Scottish Opera, Glyndebourne Germania. I suoi ruoli comprendono Baba La discografi a di Jane Henschel comprende nuovi allestimenti al Covent Garden, Festival e Touring Opera, Bayerische Staatsoper il Turco (The Rake’s Progress) ai festival di Verlobung im Traum di Krasa, The Rake’s English National Opera, Parigi, Amburgo, di Monaco, Houston Grand Opera, New Glyndebourne, Saito Kinen e Salisburgo, Progress, Merlin di Albéniz, The Turn of Francoforte, Monaco, Berlino, all’Opera di Israeli Opera e Minnesota Opera in un ampio Brangäne (Tristan und Isolde) per la Los Angeles the Screw di Britten e l’Ottava sinfonia di Vienna, ad Atene, al Metropolitan, a San repertorio che comprende i ruoli di Wotan Opera e l’Opéra di Parigi, Klytemnestra Mahler. Francisco, Dallas, Houston, San Diego, e il Viandante nel Ring, Amfortas (Parsifal), (Elektra) per la San Francisco Opera, la Carnegie Hall, La Scala di Milano, Verona, Jokanaan (Salome), Figaro e il Conte Almaviva Principessa (Suor Angelica) con l’Orchestra del Sarah Tynan (Fata della rugiada) è nata a Firenze, La Fenice di Venezia, Barcellona, (Le nozze di Figaro), i ruoli di protagonista ne Concertgebouw diretta da Riccardo Chailly, Londra e ha studiato presso il Royal Northern Buenos Aires e Santiago. L’Olandese volante, Mazeppa, Saul, Eugenio Dialogues des Carmélites ad Amsterdam, College of Music e presso la Royal Academy Rosalind Plowright ha fatto ritorno al Onieghin e Don Giovanni, Iago (Otello), Kostelnicˇka (Jenu˚fa) diretta da Seiji Ozawa in of Music (con Penelope Mackay), dove ha Covent Garden per Sweeney Todd e ha Ford (Falstaff), Scarpia (Tosca), Marcello (La Giappone e Kabanicka (Katá Kabanova) per il ricevuto una Queen’s Commendation for debuttato al Maggio Musicale Fiorentino in bohème), Escamillo (Carmen), Nick Shadow Festival di Salisburgo. Excellence.

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CCHANHAN 3143(2)3143(2) Book.inddBook.indd 68-6968-69 330/4/070/4/07 10:03:2110:03:21 Da quando è diventata solista della English Teatro Colón di Buenos Aires e ha partecipato (The Marriage of Figaro), Idamante (Idomeneo), La Philharmonia Orchestra, una delle più National Opera, ha interpretato, tra l’altro, i ai festival di Bayreuth e Salisburgo. Cavalleria rusticana, Octavian in Der grandi orchestre del mondo, è diretta per ruoli di Tytania (A Midsummer Night’s Dream), Il suo repertorio include i principali ruoli Rosenkavalier (momenti salienti), Faust, e due la decima stagione consecutiva dal famoso Papagena (The Magic Flute), Iphis (Jephtha), per mezzosoprano nelle opere di Mozart, dischi di Great Operatic Arias. maestro tedesco Christoph von Dohnányi, in Atalanta (Xerxes), Yum-Yum (The Mikado) e Gluck, Strauss, Rossini, Bellini e Berlioz, e qualità di Direttore Principale. In precedenza suor Constance (The Carmelites). Altri impegni i suoi impegni hanno compreso Benvenuto Il New London Children’s Choir è stato questa carica era appartenuta a Otto Klemperer teatrali comprendono Tytania per il teatro La Cellini con l’Opera di Roma, Iphigénie en costituito dal suo Direttore Musicale e da allora l’Orchestra ha collaborato con nomi Monnaie di Bruxelles; Bella (The Midsummer Tauride a Buenos Aires, Madrid e con la Welsh Ronald Corp nel 1991 con l’obiettivo di di prestigio come Lorin Maazel (Direttore Marriage) per il festival di St Endellion con National Opera, Albert Herring, Cherubino entusiasmare al canto i più giovani e stimolarli Principale Associato), Riccardo Muti (Direttore Richard Hickox; Pretty Polly in Punch and Judy (Le nozze di Figaro) e Andromaca nell’Ermione all’interpretazione di musica di ogni genere. Il Principale e Direttore Musicale), Giuseppe di Birtwistle al Teatro Nacional San João di di Rossini a Glyndebourne, Le Comte Ory a Coro ha al suo attivo decine di registrazioni e Sinopoli (Direttore Musicale) e, attualmente, Porto; la Governante in The Turn of the Screw Losanna, Roma e Glyndebourne, Proserpina trasmissioni ed è stato invitato a comparire a Kurt Sanderling (Direttore Emerito), Vladimir di Britten durante una tournée del British nell’Orfeo di Monteverdi ad Amsterdam; numerosi importanti festival. Ashkenazy (Direttore Laureato) e Sir Charles Council in Russia; Elsie Maynard (The Yeomen Ariadne auf Naxos a Lisbona, Marguerite (La Tra i momenti salienti dell’attività Mackerras (Direttore Principale Ospite), oltre of the Guard) e Gianetta (The Gondoliers) per la Damnation de Faust) a Vienna e Ginevra, concertistica del Coro vanno ricordati che con artisti importanti come Wilhelm Phoenix Opera. Minerva (Il ritorno d’Ulisse in patria) ad la Sinfonia n. 8 di Mahler con la Royal Furtwängler, Richard Strauss, Arturo Toscanini, Ha registrato i ruoli di suor Constance Amsterdam e Sydney, Die Meistersinger von Philharmonic Orchestra alla Royal Albert Guido Cantelli, Herbert von Karajan e Carlo (The Carmelites) e Barbarina (The Marriage Nürnberg alla Royal Opera House Covent Hall, la Sinfonia n. 3 di Mahler con la London Maria Giulini. L’Orchestra continua a collaborare of Figaro) per la serie Opera in English di Garden, Junon in Platée di Rameau con la Symphony Orchestra al Barbican, Carmina con direttori e solisti di fama mondiale, oltre ad Chandos. Royal Opera al Festival di Edimburgo e a Burana alla Royal Festival Hall con la Royal attrarre nelle sue fi la i giovani musicisti europei di Londra, e Octavian (Der Rosenkavalier) alla Philharmonic Orchestra e con il Bach Choir, e maggiore talento. Diana Montague (Nano Sabbiolino) è nata English National Opera, a Bilbao e al Teatro tre Prom BBC sponsorizzati da Blue Peter, una Orchestra Residente presso la Royal Festival a Winchester e ha studiato presso il Royal Real di Madrid. trasmissione per bambini. Hall di Londra, occupa una posizione centrale Northern College of Music. Dopo l’esordio La ricca discografi a di Diana Montagne La vasta discografi a del New London nella vita musicale britannica anche attraverso nelle vesti di Zerlina con la Glyndebourne comprende Orfeo di Monteverdi, I Capuleti e Children’s Choir comprende Turandot e residenze regionali che offrono un’opportunità Touring Opera è comparsa alla Royal Opera i Montecchi, Norma, Iphigénie en Tauride; per Carmen nell’ambito della serie Opera in English ideale per espandere il suo dinamico House, Covent Garden, la Metropolitan Opera Opera Rara Rosmonda d’Inghilterra, Zoraida di Chandos, Lo schiaccianoci di Cˇaikovskij, programma educativo, basato sulle comunità. di New York, il Théâtre de la Monnaie di di Granata e Il crociato in Egitto; per la serie Il canto delle foreste di Shostakovich, Ivan il Vincitrice di numerosi premi, è stata lodata Bruxelles, l’Opéra national de Paris-Bastille, il Opera in English di Chandos, Cherubino Terribile di Prokofi ev e St Nicolas di Britten. all’unanimità dai critici per la sua politica di

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CCHANHAN 3143(2)3143(2) Book.inddBook.indd 70-7170-71 330/4/070/4/07 10:03:2310:03:23 programmazione particolarmente innovativa e Atene e il Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts con cui ha registrato la maggior parte delle Mozart. Ha registrato opere di Mozart e fortemente incentrata sull’impegno ad eseguire di New York. opere orchestrali di Janácˇek oltre a Gilbert e Sullivan oltre a una serie completa e commissionare musiche nuove fi rmate dai Katá Kabánova e Rusalka di Dvorˇák. La sua delle sinfonie di Mozart, Beethoven e Brahms, maggiori compositori contemporanei. Sir Charles Mackerras ha studiato presso il vasta discografi a comprende un premiato numerosi oratori di Handel e sinfonie di I concerti dell’Orchestra sono trasmessi Conservatorio di Sydney e si è trasferito in ciclo di opere di Janácˇek con i Wiener Mahler ed Elgar. Attualmente è Principal Guest sempre più frequentemente da BBC Radio 3, Inghilterra nel 1947. Ha ottenuto una borsa di Philharmoniker all’inizio degli anni Ottanta. Conductor della Philharmonia Orchestra, incluso l’apparizione annuale in occasione studio del British Council per proseguire gli Le registrazioni per Chandos comprendono Conductor Laureate della Scottish Chamber dei BBC Proms. La Philharmonia Orchestra studi presso l’Accademia Musicale di Praga. la versione originale della Messa glagolitica di Orchestra e Conductor Emeritus della Welsh gode di una reputazione a livello mondiale Nel 1947 nasceva il suo appassionato interesse Janácˇek, Psalmus Hungaricus di Kodály e il National Opera e della San Francisco Opera. ed è l’orchestra sinfonica che ha inciso di più per Janácˇek, dopo aver ascoltato la Katá Concerto per violoncello di Dvorˇák. Per la Sir Charles Mackerras ha ricevuto diverse in tutto il mondo, con un catalogo di oltre Kabánova diretta dal grande Václav Talich. serie Opera in English ha registrato Osud, onorifi cenze, tra cui il CBE nel 1974, seguito 1000 incisioni, tra cui una serie di colonne In qualità di vicedirettore d’orchestra a La traviata, Werther, Julius Caesar, Mary Stuart, dalla nomina a baronetto nel 1979, la sonore per fi lm e televisione. La sua discografi a Sadler’s Wells nel 1951 Mackerras proponeva Eugene Onegin, Jenu˚fa, The Magic Flute, The Medaglia di Merito della Repubblica Ceca nel include, per Opera Rara, numerosi dischi la prima esecuzione di Katá Kabánova Bartered Bride e The Makropulos Case. 1996 e il titolo di Companion of the Order of di recital, oltre a tredici opere complete, e nel mondo anglofono. Il seguito avrebbe Sir Charles Mackerras ha svolto inoltre Australia nel 1997. Nel 2003 all’elenco delle nella serie Opera in English per Chandos, presentato L’af fare Makropoulos e Da una ricerche approfondite sulla musica del XVIII onorifi cenze reali britanniche si è aggiunto il sponsorizzata dalla Peter Moores Foundation, casa di morti a Sadler’s Wells; avrebbe poi secolo, soprattutto quella di Handel and Companion of Honour. The Marriage of Figaro, The Thieving Magpie, continuato a dirigere le opere di Janácˇek in Wozzeck, Don Giovanni, The Elixir of Love, allestimenti di grande successo, oltre a un Lucia of Lammermoor, Faust, Carmen, Aida, repertorio più tradizionale alla sua nomina La Bohème, Madam Butterfl y, Turandot, la Tosca, a Direttore musicale della English National vincitrice di un premio, e vari album di recital, Opera (1970 – 77) e in seguito della Welsh con assoli di arie d’opera eseguite da Bruce Ford, National Opera (1987 – 1992). È stato un Diana Montague, Dennis O’Neill, Alastair pioniere della diffusione della musica di Miles, Yvonne Kenny e John Tomlinson. La Janácˇek nelle capitali europee, negli USA e in Philharmonia Orchestra continua a consolidare la Australia. Una delle sue opere predilette sua fama internazionale con frequenti tournèe e è Jenu˚fa. attraverso le recenti, prestigiose residenze presso il Sir Charles Mackerras ha al suo attivo una Châtelet Théâtre Musical di Parigi, il Megaron di lunga collaborazione con la Filarmonica ceca,

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CCHANHAN 3143(2)3143(2) Book.inddBook.indd 72-7372-73 330/4/070/4/07 10:03:2510:03:25 On session: New London Children’s Choir

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CCHANHAN 3143(2)3143(2) Book.inddBook.indd 74-7574-75 330/4/070/4/07 10:03:2610:03:26 COMPACT DISC ONE I’ll sell my old mattress and sleep where I please, Gretel (stopping him) Hansel I’d rather have a bite than be bitten by… Stop. What a sulky glare! Oh a secret. Now I can hardly wait. 1 Overture What is it doing there, that gruesome stare? Gretel (interrupting) It’s eyes are askew – phew, what a pout! Gretel Act I Oh, it’s hunger that bites me. Watch how I’m chasing that Gremlin out! On one condition then. Home: the Broom-Maker’s Cottage. (She takes a broom in her hand.) No more complaints. Hansel (continuing) 3 Down with the dumps, out with the grumps, There’s milk in that jug full to the brim. Scene 1 …Fleas! we’ll do without you, spite you and fl out you, The neighbours could see we were looking thin! A small and poorly furnished room. In the (throwing his work aside and getting up) keep your nose out, you pedlar of doubt you! When mother comes we’ll both get our wish, background a door; a small window near it, looking Oh how I wish Mother would hurry up home. Gremlin, gremlin, grumpy old grout, rice pudding, rice pudding our fav’rite dish! on to the forest. On the left a fi replace with chimney griping and groaning and grousing about, above it. On the walls are hanging brooms of Gretel (getting up) pack your bag, on your nag, ill-mannered lout. Hansel (with glee) various sizes. Hansel is sitting by the door, making Oh yes, my tummy thinks it could eat a stone. Down with the dumps, out with the grumps, Rice pudding. Pudding, pudding brimming with brooms, and Gretel opposite him by the fi replace, hunger gets stronger, bites even longer. cream! knitting a stocking. Hansel Why make a song or dance, I’m ready if it’s not just a dream! Just crusts of bread, that’s all we’ve had, What is wrong there? How thick is the cream on the top? Gretel hunger keeps gnawing, driving you mad. Gremlin Gremlin, grumpy old grout, Let’s taste it. 2 Goosey goosey gander, the mouse in the straw griping and groaning and grousing about, (He licks the cream off his fi nger.) put out his little head, can you guess what he Gretel pack your bag, on your nag, ill-mannered lout! Oh wonderful! saw? Hush, Hansel, think of our father’s refrain I’d like to guzzle all of it! The geese had no shoes in the ice and the snow, when mother curses or complains: Hansel (seizes the broom also) cobbler can’t you make some? The answer was… ‘When in need or dark despair Down with the dumps, out with the grumps Gretel (gives him a rap on his fi ngers) Hansel (interrupting) God will always hear our prayer.’ seething with longing, hunger pains are Stop, Hansel, stop it. Thieving again. Which is why they were barefoot. thronging, Keep your hands off it or I’ll get the blame. Hansel they’re far too strong, can’t bear it any longer. Now leave it and get back to work, be quick! Gretel (continuing) So nicely said, so pat, so neat, Gremlin, gremlin, gremlin, grumpy old grout, If you get caught we’ll get the stick. No! but such fancy words are no good to eat. griping and groaning and grousing about, Mother is coming and nothing’s been done, Oh Gretel, I wonder how it would feel pack your bag, on your nag, you lout! and Hansel getting thrashed is not much fun. Hansel if we’d just gorged a scrumptious meal? Hey diddle dumpling I sit here half dead! Strawberry pancakes and beef with noodles, Gretel (pretending to sweep away) Hansel (sticking his hands in his trouser pockets) So who will lend me money to buy me some when did Mum last make apple strudels? Alright, I’ll tell you on one condition Work again, I’ve had enough. bread? Oh Gretel, I wish… just what I have found on my secret mission. Why is work such boring stuff?

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CCHANHAN 3143(2)3143(2) Book.inddBook.indd 76-7776-77 330/4/070/4/07 10:03:3010:03:30 ‘Hansel is lazy! Slacking again!’ Gretel Let’s dance away our hunger pains, Hansel We should be playing our dancing game. Brother you have learnt it well, the dance is all we own. Now don’t be cross you bossy girl, dancing breaks the gremlin’s spell. (pulls Hansel along, and dances round him then I’ll catch you, you will see! Gretel Once the boy gets down to school, gives him a push) (They dance as before.) Dancing! Dancing! And only we know the way: maybe he’s not such a fool. Tra-la-la etc the magic dance is our secret play. Make your head go nick, nick, nick, Turn around again and do it faster Gretel Singing the song that our Granny sings us: make your fi ngers go click click click, can’t you make your legs do more than that? Tra-la-la! etc grasping the magic power that it brings us. one foot in, one foot out, Come over here, you lazy little rat! Turn yourself around my slow-coach Hansel, (clapping her hands) take a bow and turn about. turn yourself around and join the dance. 4 Little brother dance with me, Hansel (gruffl y) take my hand, advance with me, Hansel Let go of me, let go of me, I’m not your little Gretel and Hansel one foot in, one foot out, Make your head go nick, nick, nick, brat. Yes spin until your head’s askew, bow your head and turn about. make your fi ngers go click click click, A man has more important work than dancing dance until you drop. one foot in, one foot out, with a girl. And if you wear your stockings through, (Hansel tries to dance, but is very awkward.) bow and turn about. let mother sew them up. Gretel (They dance by turns as before. Then they seize each Hansel Gretel But big boy I’m too strong for you, other’s hands and dance round and round, quicker Sister I’m a sorry sight; Dance it nimble, dance it neat, I’ll make you join the whirl. and quicker, until at last they lose their balance and which is left and which is right? make it twinkle from your feet. (dances round Hansel as before and gives him a tumble over one another onto the fl oor.) Show me once more how it goes, When two children join together, push) then I might avoid your toes. they are more than twice as clever. Tra-la-la etc Scene 2 (takes Hansel by the arm) Mind you don’t fall over my dear Hansel, Mother Gretel Come! look at him he’s split his brand new pants. With your foot you tap tap tap, 5 Hansel! with your hands you clap clap clap, Hansel Hansel (dances round Gretel) one foot in, one foot out, I love to dance and sing and play my games Tra-la-la! etc (At this moment the door opens; the children see bow your head and turn about. hate to be alone. You naughty girl, you naughty girl, your stocking their mother coming and jump up quickly.) Let’s dance away our hunger pains, has a hole. Hansel the dance is all we own. Gretel With your foot you tap tap tap, Gretel Oh heavens! with your hands you clap clap clap, Gretel You stubborn boy, you’ll do as you are told. one foot in, one foot out, I love to dance and sing and play my games A wicked child is not allowed Hansel bow your head and turn about. hate to be alone. to share the dance with me. Mother. It’s mother!

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CCHANHAN 3143(2)3143(2) Book.inddBook.indd 78-7978-79 330/4/070/4/07 10:03:3110:03:31 Mother (weeping. She looks at her skirt, down which the Scene 3 Ral-la-la-la, ral-la-la-la, that’s why I’m a What on earth d’you think you are doing? milk is streaming.) A voice is heard in the distance. drunken sot. Now we are really scuppered. (Reels over to his sleeping wife and gives her a (Hansel sniggers.) Father smacking kiss.) Gretel (confused) How dare you, I saw you grin. 7 Ral-la-la-la, ral-la-la-la, light the fi re, your Mother look what I have brought. Well Hansel was feeling… (Stick in hand, she goes for Hansel who runs out of husband’s here! the door.) Ral-la-la-la, ral-la-la-la, full of luck and full of Mother (rubbing her eyes) Hansel Wait, wait till your father comes in. cheer! Oh no! It’s Gretel was squealing… (With sudden energy she snatches a basket from the (somewhat nearer) What’s this bawling for goodness sake, wall and thrusts it into Gretel’s hand.) Curse the poor, how much we suffer, that ca-caterwauling that’s made me awake? Out! Out! Go at once! Find me some work all day and get no supper, Mother (comes in, unstraps her basket and sets it strawberries, little runts. in your pocket a burning hole! down) Come back when the basket’s full to the brim, In your stomach a gnawing hole. Father (inarticulately) Children, you’ll bring this fam’ly to ruin. or else you brats, you’ll be torn limb from limb (plaintively) Well, Well! You are both selfi sh, you should be working, (The children run off into the forest.) Ral-la-la-la, ral-la-la-la, hunger eats away your It is a beast a lion at least, what do I fi nd? Instead you’ve been shirking. (She sits down by the table, exhausted.) soul. whose hungry yell demands his feast. You never think how your parents suffer. 6 My jug all in bits and guess who broke you! Ral-la-la-la, ral-la-la-la, hunger eats away your Ral-la-la-la, ral-la-la-la, hunger is a greedy beast. Each day for us the struggle gets tougher. Yes, that’s what happens when children provoke soul. Ral-la-la-la, ral-la-la-la-la, bites and fi ghts to be (gives Hansel a box on the ear) you. (Father’s face appears at the window, and during released. Take that! (wringing her hands) the following he comes into the room in a very lively Let’s see, how much you have done. My God we’re desperate, mood, with a basket on his back.) Mother (turning round) (sobbing) Let the poor kick off their traces, I can tell that rotten skunk has come home What Gretel? we’ve nothing to live on, the children will starve happiness has many faces. drunk, Not one is fi nished, not one? and there’s nothing to give them. But the truth, the truth’s no joke, he’s full of wine so let him pack his trunk. And you, you waster, you’ve had your warning: No stock in the stock-pot, no crust in the bin, poor men bear a heavy yoke. ‘Work hard’ I said when I left you this morning. no wonder they’re feeble and thin. Ral-la-la-la, ral-la-la-la, hungry feeders often Father You don’t do a stroke, but you still want feeding, (She rests her head on her hand.) choke! Now, now! maybe you’ll learn when your backsides are I’m exhausted. Weary, I’m fi nished. (He puts down his basket.) It’s been a wonderful day, high time that you bleeding! Dear God give us money. Yes hunger cooks the fi nest dish, were cuddled. (In her anger at the children she knocks the milk jug for all he does is wish and wish. which smashes to pieces on the fl oor.) (She lays her head down on her arms and drops Who cares if he’s a chef or not, Heavens! You’ve made me ruin the supper. asleep.) you can’t cook much with an empty pot. (wants to kiss her)

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CCHANHAN 3143(2)3143(2) Book.inddBook.indd 80-8180-81 330/4/070/4/07 10:03:3210:03:32 Mother (pushing him angrily from here) (He turns the basket topsy-turvy, and a lot of Grease the pans and mix the batter, Mother (hastily) Get off! To you it looks like that way, potatoes roll out.) bring out every dish and platter. If you’re nice with them they abuse it, because your brain’s befuddled. if you give them work to do they refuse it. (He knocks down some tin pots off the chimney- God knows what noise they were making, Father Father (He seizes her by the arm and dances round the room with her.) piece with a clatter.) dancing so wildly the house was shaking. All right! Well, I got so angry I thought I’d choke. (turning to his basket) Ral-la-la-la, ral-la-la-la, hopsasa funny how the Mother and Father My wife is such a sweet, thought of food. Heat the stove and boil the kettle. Father and Mother maybe she’ll tell me what’s to eat. And so that was how the jug got broke! Mother (joining in) (laughing heartily) Mother Father (he puts the glass of kummel to his lips but Ral-la-la-la, ral-la-la-la, hopsasa puts you in a Ha ha ha ha ha! This menu is a simple matter, better mood! suddenly stops short) 8 But wait, say where are the children? a masterpiece: an empty platter! Father Empty cup, empty plate, Hansel and Gretel, why aren’t they here? Father You meany grumpy-guts, don’t get so cross. and my purse in the self-same state! So here’s my story from the top. On a day like today it’s no loss. Mother Father (He sits down. Meanwhile Mother packs away the I see, you sent them to bed without food? things, lights a fi re, breaks eggs into a saucepan, etc.) Heaven knows Ral-la-la-la, ral-la-la-la, cheer up Mother, (shrugs her shoulders with a puzzled air) salvation’s here, Back in eighteen-forty-three, Mother (curtly) we achieved democracy I’ve no idea. No, they went to the Gibbet wood. and there’s every cause to cheer. But there’s one thing I know for sure, (He takes his basket and begins to display the so they’ve planned a grand celebration, that our jug got smashed on the fl oor. Father (horror-struck) contents.) fanfares, fl ags and hymns to the nation. The haunted wood! Look Mother, what d’you think of this for Thus the brushes business is booming, Father (angrily) (fetches a broom from the wall) supper? every blade of grass needs grooming. Even in the roughest quarter, What? They broke the brand new jug? You must be insane! Mother there’s a run on soap and water. What? What? I’m dreaming. Every street looks oh so quaint! Mother Mother (with an expression of contempt) Lard and butter, fl our and sausage, eggs and Spick and span in fresh white paint! And the milk went down the plug. The broomstick! honey, Buy brushes! Buy brushes! Don’t hit me with that again. (helping him to unpack it) And I soon found that a boomtown is a Father (striking the table with his fi st in rage) man where did you fi nd the money? broomtown! Blast those brats! Father (he lets the broom fall and wrings his hands) Carrots, onions, and you’ve found some tea, a I could have sold them ten times over, It’s always the same, while we’re at work they’re At night it’s a gruesome and sordid place, quarter pound! and at sky high prices, I’m in clover! misbehaving. and no child should be there alone.

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CCHANHAN 3143(2)3143(2) Book.inddBook.indd 82-8382-83 330/4/070/4/07 10:03:3410:03:34 Mother for she’s riding for the Devil, Mother (wringing her hands) Little man, who can you be, are you just another Don’t say that! the black power of darkness and evil! All gone? My children, I’m coming! tree? I cannot hold on. Did you bring that crimson cloak for me? Mother He balanced there on one leg and took his nap, Father Tell me everything. (Runs out of the house.) And hid his glassy eye with his black, black cap. For many a child has been lost without trace, If I woke you, tap, tap, tap, would your little leg where evil itself has its home. Father Father go snap, By day the louse plays cat and mouse Hey, woman! I will come as well Hiding there beneath your black, black cap? Mother (surprised) in her crispy crunchy choc’late house. (takes the bottle from the table and runs after her) (She holds up the garland of fl owers and looks at it What evil? Just tell me. The unwary child is soon beguiled. To save our poor kids from the jaws of hell! from all sides.) The dear old lady, how sweetly she smiled! Hiding there beneath your black, black, cap! But once the child is in, her torments begin. (The curtain falls quickly.) Father (with mysterious emphasis) A helpless child: the plaything of sin. Hansel (comes out swinging his basket joyfully) The gristle witches! She is stripped of her clothes Prelude to Act II Hurrah! in the oven she goes, 10 The Witches’ Ride Just look at these berries, the basket’s groaning! and as the spit turns, Let that put a stop to my mother’s moaning. Mother (starting back) skin blisters and burns. The gristle witches! Act II Gretel (standing up) When she’s tender, nicely toasted (He picks up the broom again, draws back.) Scene 1 My garland’s almost fi nished. (signifi cantly) Well, what’s that to do with a broomstick? Look, it’s really quite the best I’ve made. your daughter is roasted! (The curtain rises) (She tries to put the garland on Hansel’s head.) The middle of the forest. In the background is the Father Mother ‘Ilsenstein’, thickly surrounded by fi r trees. On the Hansel (drawing back roughly) The broomstick, the broomstick, you know what And when she’s been roasted? right is a large fi r tree, under which Gretel is sitting Boys don’t wear soppy things like that! it’s for: on a mossy tree trunk, and making a garland of That is really a girl’s sort of hat! They ride on it, the Witches! Father wild roses. By her side lies a nosegay of fl owers. ( puts the garland on her head ) 9 But there’s one, a crone, who lives alone, The witch will devour her, ev’ry morsel! Amongst the bushes on the left is Hansel, looking for Now, Gretel, what a lady! with Satan’s eyes and a heart of stone. strawberries. Sunset. You look good! At dead of night, when no one’s in sight, Mother I shall make you May Queen of the wood! she rides out to vent her hate and spite. Every morsel? Gretel (singing quietly to herself ) From forest to crag, on her broomstick, the hag 11 A dwarf stood in the forest but never spoke. Gretel with a fi endish spring makes the death-knell ring. Father He wrapped himself up tight in his red, red As I am the May Queen for today, No children sing in the shade of her wing, Ev’ry morsel! cloak. my page presents the royal bouquet.

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CCHANHAN 3143(2)3143(2) Book.inddBook.indd 84-8584-85 330/4/070/4/07 10:03:3510:03:35 Hansel (gives her the nosegay) Gretel (does the same) Hansel (quietly) Gretel May Queen of the wood, I lay at your feet, Cuckoo, gets his due. Now now, don’t pull that one on me! Oh Hansel, we’re bound to come to some harm. this basket of berries to guard, not to eat! Look, Gretel you had your share I can see! Hansel Hansel Gretel (He gives the basketful of strawberries into her Throw your babies out. I’m fi rst! Have courage, come, don’t be alarmed. Come, we’d better fi nd more, and quickly. other hand, at the same time kneeling before her in Let them starve or die of thirst! homage.) Gretel Gretel (helping herself) Hansel But now it’s too dark, and those brambles are too But what are those shimmering columns of light? Cuckoo Cuckoo, too true. prickly. 12 Cuckoo, Cuckoo. Cuckoo, me too! (Hansel pours a handful of strawberries into his Of course you could look for all you’re worth… Hansel but now it’s the darkest place on earth. The silver birch in their robes of white. Hansel (pointing with his hand) mouth.) Cuckoo, cuckoo, eggs are blue! If you’ve fi lled your basket full watch the cuckoo steal them all. Gretel Gretel Oh Hansel, Hansel, we must have been mad. What’s that, that grins in the depths of the (Cuckoo: behind the scenes, heard as if quite in the How could we have both been so stupid and bad? distance.) Hansel (helping himself ) swamp? Cuckoo, and you! We wasted our time so carelessly playing. (They each try to gain possession of the strawberries. Hansel (stammering) Gretel (roguishly) Hansel Hansel wins and puts the whole basket to his mouth Th-that? That’s just the moon on a willow Cuckoo, cuckoo, berries too! Hear what the pine-trees are saying: until it is empty.) stump. (takes a strawberry from the basket and pokes it Listen to the whisp’ring glade into Hansel’s mouth: he sucks it as though he were ‘Children, children, tell me, are you not afraid?’ drinking an egg.) Gretel (horrifi ed, clasping her hands together) Gretel (hastily) Hansel, now look what you’ve done, (Hansel looks around uneasily.) (At last he turns in despair to Gretel.) There is a face so mean and sly, oh heavens you have scoffed all the berries, you I’m sure it winked its evil eye. Hansel (springing up) 13 Gretel, I think we’ve lost the way. Ho-ho! pig you. I like that game. Look at me! Gretel (dismayed ) Hansel (very loudly) (takes some strawberries and lets them fall into Hansel Oh God. Don’t say that. You mind your own business! Gretel’s mouth) Watch it. We’ve lost the way? D’you hear? You spy! Watch how the baby cuckoo grows, he steals the food from under your nose. Gretel Hansel (pretending to be very brave) Gretel (terrifi ed) (It begins to grow dark, helping himself again) Just wait till mother hears. I will look after you my dear. Those lights coming nearer they’ll burn in my Cuckoo, jumps the queue. She will thrash you and then there’ll be tears! I am a boy, I know no fear. hair!

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CCHANHAN 3143(2)3143(2) Book.inddBook.indd 86-8786-87 330/4/070/4/07 10:03:3610:03:36 Hansel (A thick mist rises and completely hides the to cuddle and to clutch you, will show me God in Heaven! Fire-fl ies are gathering in the air. background.) and gently spread my merchandise (They sink down on the moss and go to sleep with Gretel, don’t let it frighten you. of sand in your weary eyes, arms twined round each other.) Look, it’s clear what we have to do. Gretel at once those heavy eyelids close, (Complete darkness.) Now ghostly tongues of mist are sneering. in seconds you begin to doze; (Here a bright light suddenly breaks through the (Goes back some steps to the back of then stage and Look how they’re swirling all round us, jeering! and when you’re deep mist, which forthwith rolls itself together into the calls through his hands.) Don’t touch me! Don’t touch me! and very fast asleep form of a staircase vanishing in perspective in the Just leave me alone! light shimmers from the Lodestar middle of the stage.) Voices (in the far distance behind the scenes, (Rushes horror-struck under the tree and fall on her to show the angels where you are. scarcely audible) knees hiding herself behind Hansel) Then they will bring you safely 16 Scene 3. Pantomime Who’s there? (crying out) Father! Mother! to the land of dreams. Fourteen angels, in light fl oating garments, pass (The children cower together.) My dreaming, dreaming children, down the staircase two by two, at intervals, while (At this moment the mist lifts on the left: a little There! There! such happy seeming children, it is getting gradually lighter. The angels place grey man is seen with a little sack on his back.) linger in the land of dreams! themselves according to the order mentioned in her Gretel (somewhat timidly) evening hymn, around the sleeping children; the fi rst Is someone there? Hansel Hansel (half asleep) couple at their heads, the second at their feet, the Ah! Who’s that there? Sandman good night. third on the right, the fourth on the left; then the Voices Hold me tight! fi fth and sixth couples distribute themselves amongst There! (becoming weaker) Gretel (half asleep) the other couples so that the circle of angels is Why is he in the wood at night? Let’s say our prayers before we sleep. (The children shiver together.) completed. Lastly the seventh couple comes into the (The little man approaches the children with (They cower down and fold their hands.) circle, and takes it place as ‘guardian angels’ on each Gretel friendly gestures and the children gradually calm side of the children. The remaining angels now join Did you hear that? down.) Gretel and Hansel hands and dance a stately dance around the group. They answered: ‘There’ Hansel, someone else 15 Where each child lays down its head, The whole stage is fi lled with intense light. Whilst understood! Scene 2 fourteen angels guard the bed, the angels group themselves in a picturesque tableau (weeping) The sleep fairy: strewing sand in the children’s eyes. two will stand above me, the curtain slowly falls. I’m frightened, it scares me; there is bad in the With a soft, gentle voice. two will kneel to love me, two upon my right hand, wood this is where children get lost for good. COMPACT DISC TWO Sandman on my left two more stand. Hansel 14 I am the little sandman, sh, Two will give me warning, Don’t say that. Come here and hold me tight A friendly helping hand man, sh, two announce the morning, Act III I’ll keep you safe all through the night. My dears I’ve come to touch you. two times seven The Witch’s House at the Ilsenstein

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CCHANHAN 3143(2)3143(2) Book.inddBook.indd 88-8988-89 330/4/070/4/07 10:03:3710:03:37 The curtain rises. Gretel (rubs her eyes, looks around her, and raises Gretel Scene 3 herself a little, whilst Hansel turns over on the other We both slept well and what is more He turns towards the background: at this moment side to go to sleep again) I dreamt a very special dream. the last remains of the mist clear away. In place 1 Introduction Where am I? Waking, dreaming or dead? of the fi r-trees is seen the Witch’s House at the 3 I slept here? On a pine-tree bed! Ilsenstein, shining in the rays of the rising sun. Hansel (meditatively) High in the branches a song-bird is calling. A little distance off, to the left, is an oven; opposite Scene 1 Exactly. But what did it mean? The same as the end of Act II. The background is Down to my bedroom sweet notes are falling. this, on the right, a large cage, both joined to the still hidden in mist, which gradually rises during Of course you rose at the break of day Witch’s House by a fence of gingerbread fi gures. the following. The angels have vanished. Morning is and now that the sun is up you’re on your way. Gretel breaking. The Dew Fairy steps forward and shakes You busy songbird. Good to hear you! I dreamt that distant bells were ringing. Gretel (holds Hansel back in astonishment) dewdrops from a blue-bell over the sleeping children. (turns to Hansel) The stars resounded with angels singing. 4 Keep still! No sound! Look there, a lazy lump I call him. Clouds that were fl ooded in rosy light Hansel wake up there. glowed as they fl oated in banks through the Hansel (surprised) Dew Fairy Ti-re-li-re-li Hansel’s a fool! night. What is that, a house came out of the ground. 2 When dew drops on the daisy Ti-re-li-re-li he’s late for school Suddenly night is turned to day before me, (in the greatest excitement) the dawn is dim and hazy. The lark is up and ready, earth is blazing with Heaven’s glory. As if some magical spring had unwound. The early birds amaze me he’s soaring high and heady. There’s a golden ladder angels defend it, but woe betide the lazy. Ti-re-li-re-li, ti-re-li-re-li! Angels in pairs descend it. (Both stare at the house spellbound.) Ding! Dong! Ding! Dong! They look so bold there with shining wings of Each dawn you yawn as my surprise Hansel (suddenly jumps up) gold. Gretel (gradually regains her self-possession) of sunlight fi lls your bleary eyes; It smells so inviting, a gem set in the wood. a gentle breeze is stirring, Ki-ke-ri-ki! I’m no fool. Ki-ke-ri-ki! And that’s a rule! Just fancy a night in a house made of food, the hum of life is purring, Hansel (interrupting her) Look, how could I not know that sunrise with walls to be biting and roofs to be chewed, then up you spring, Yes, I counted them, fourteen all told. happened long ago. all over the icing Mama used to make, reborn in the glory of the morning, beneath that marzipan cottage a cake, a golden day is dawning. and then in a pen there are gingerbread men! Wake up you sleepers, Hansel and Gretel Gretel (astonished) it’s rise and shine. You also dreamt there were angels here? Ti-ti-ti-ti ti-re-li-re-li-re-li. Hansel Rise up and greet the sunshine. A palace, with walls and roofs to be chewed, So up you sleepers awake. Hansel Hansel the icing Mama used to make, I feel so good here in the wood Right here. They gather round and that way they marzipan cottage, a cake, (Hurries off singing. The children being to stir.) I never slept so soundly before. disappear. and then in a pen there are gingerbread men!

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CCHANHAN 3143(2)3143(2) Book.inddBook.indd 90-9190-91 330/4/070/4/07 10:03:3910:03:39 Gretel and Hansel Gretel and Hansel Hansel and Gretel (lay hands on their breasts in Hansel and Gretel A prince’s castle, a gem beyond all price. Come, I/we cannot resist, it’s not to be missed, rapture) The breeze, the wind in the trees! A magic parcel of sugar and all things nice. the almond icing! Hei! O prince, we are humble, we ask for your advice, It tastes so delicious, you have to have some (The upper part of the house-door opens gently, and with hunger we grumble, but your word would (They go hand in hand towards the back of the more. the Witch’s head is seen at it. The children at fi rst suffi ce, stage; and then steal along cautiously on tip-toe to For we’ve never tasted such Heaven before! do not see her, and go on feasting merrily. Then she and then the starving could stumble towards a the house. After some hesitation Hansel breaks off a opens the whole door, steals warily up the children, Paradise. and throws a rope round the neck of Hansel, who, bit of cake from the right hand corner.) Hansel without misgivings turns his back to her.) Ha! It’s divine! Hansel (resolutely) Scene 3 Nobody answers. Ooh! The silence is ghoulish. A voice from the house Gretel But why don’t we taste it? 5 Greedy little mousey, who’s nibbling at my Gretel 6 Hansel, don’t be so greedy, housey? Like brandy butter! remember the poor and the needy! Gretel (pulling him back, horrifi ed) Hansel (taking another bite) Don’t be so foolish! (Hansel starts, and in his fright lets the piece of cake Hansel You be the prig, and I’ll be the pig! Hansel! I’m sure it is meant to deceive. fall.) So sweet! Rich and crunchy! This food… all for nothing… now don’t be Gretel (snatches the piece from his hand) naïve! Hansel Did you hear that? Gretel You should say please, the wind agrees. So crunchy! So sweet! Hansel Gretel and Hansel (somewhat timidly) And round the roof is a choc’late gutter. Hansel (takes it back from her) But look, the house, it has such a friendly face. Don’t be a tease, I eat what I sees! (enthusiastically) The breeze, just wind in the trees. Hansel (calls out) Ha, the angels meant us to fi nd this place. Gretel and Hansel (laughing) Gretel (picks up the piece of cake and tastes it) Hey! Mister baker! Look out for your roof! Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha. Gretel (refl ectively) Hmm! This mouse has got such a sweet little tooth.) The angels? Well, perhaps you are right! (He breaks a big piece of cake off the wall.) The Witch (laughing shrilly) Hansel (looking longingly at Gretel) Hi hi, hi hi, hi hi hi hi hi hi! Hansel D’you like it? But Gretel, that’s why we both dreamt of them The voice from the house Hansel (terrifi ed) last night. Gretel (lets Hansel bite it) Greedy, little mousey, who’s nibbling at my Let go! Who are you? Come, the prospect is far too enticing. Come on, it’s your turn! housey? Let me go!

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CCHANHAN 3143(2)3143(2) Book.inddBook.indd 92-9392-93 330/4/070/4/07 10:03:4010:03:40 The Witch (drawing the children towards her) There are apple tarts and meringues like snow, and when he’s plump and half asleep Stand stock still, obey the witch Scrumptious child! chocolate mousse, Black Forest gateau, and docile, and obedient, like a sheep, when she points her hazel switch, And you my bumptious child! there’s butter, milk, and the cream that’s so good then, Hansel, let me speak in your ear, like a stone, don’t even twitch! (She caresses the children.) in your fav’rite, yes I know, it’s rice pudding. your moment of greatest glory is here. (Here the end of her wand begins to glow with You’ve come on a visit? Fancy that! There’s creamy Swiss roll here light.) I love little children, so soft and fat! and mountains of profi teroles here, Hansel Hocus pocus, then come jocus; and all as a treat just for you, my sweet, So speak out loud and not in my ear. child, obey, or you are dead, Hansel (makes desperate efforts to free himself ) yes, all for you to eat! face the front, march straight ahead, Who are you? Go away! You’re a freak! The Witch to the plate where you’ll be fed. Hansel Eh? (Fresh gestures: then she leads Hansel, who is gazing Witch I won’t stay here, it’s all just a lie. fi xedly at the illuminated head, into the stable, and Hansel Now, darling, that’s no way to speak! shuts the lattice door upon him.) How does this so-called glory appear? Children I want you to like me a little. Gretel Hokus pokus, boonus jocus, malus locus, hokus My name’s Rosina Lickspittle; Just say ‘no’ to strangers! The Witch pokus! when you’re with me there’s nothing to fear, Well, just remember when it is near Bonus jocus, malus locus! quite harmless, just a poor old dear. The Witch you shut your eyes and forget what you hear. (The stage gradually becomes lighter, whilst the glow I’m fond of children, as you will see, My, my, my, how sly! of the magic head diminishes.) that’s why I love to have (caresses Hansel) them My children, I’m trying so hard to be nice, Hansel Hokus pokus, bonus jocus, malus locus, hokus for tea! you’ll fi nd that my house is a Paradise! Oh, but I use both my ears and my eyes: pokus! (to Hansel ) then I can tell that you’re telling lies. (contentedly to Gretel, who stands there motionless) Hansel (turning roughly away) Come, little mousey come into my housey. (resolutely) Gretel, all that she’s said is a trick. Go, ugly mug, go on your way. (to Gretel ) Now, run away, for God’s sake be quick. (stamping his foot) You’ll be petted and pampered, 8 Now Gretel, you’re the sensible one, Leave us, d’you hear what I say? and play all day unhampered. (He has in the meantime got out of the rope, and and Hansel has some weight to put on. runs with Gretel to the foreground. Here they are We’ll feed him up, I know the diet, The Witch (laughing shrilly) Gretel stopped by the Witch, who casts a spell upon them all cream and sugar, that will keep him quiet. Ha ha, ha ha, ha ha ha ha ha ha! Maybe, what will my brother have to do? both with her magic wand. The stage becomes We’ll need some herbs, I know where they grow; I love to see children all cross and forceful gradually darker.) you can’t move at all, as you know. especially you, the daintiest morsel! The Witch Come, little mousey come into my housey With you, we two will feed him and fatten him, The Witch into the cave of Aladdin; those scrawny limbs we’ll tenderly nourish, 7 Stop! Hocus pocus, witch’s ground, (She grins as she holds up her fi nger in warning and a place a child could go mad in! his milk-fed body will fl ourish, makes the victim muscle-bound. goes into the house.)

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CCHANHAN 3143(2)3143(2) Book.inddBook.indd 94-9594-95 330/4/070/4/07 10:03:4110:03:41 Gretel (stiff and motionless) and a napkin for a starving wife. (In her wild delight she seizes a broomstick and show me your fi nger instead. Oh, when she speaks my blood turns to ice. I like things in my kitchen just so: begins to ride on it.) (Hansel pokes out a small bone.) if not, on a plate with your brother you’ll go! 9 So hopp hopp hopp, galopp lopp lopp, Look at that! A pin? Hansel (whispering hastily) (She threatens and titters. Gretel hurries off.) you lazy oaf, be off you sloth. Like a matchstick, so thin. Gretel, pst! (Hansel pretends to be asleep.) (She rides excitedly round on the broomstick.) Booby, you’re all skin and bone: Don’t raise your voice. The helpless booby sleeps like a lamb, When up I spring, the bat takes wing, do you not get fed at home? Be on your guard and try to see he sleeps as only children can. the hell-cat sings the death knell rings. (calls out) exactly what her plan seems to be. When you’ve grown fat as lambkins should (She rides again; Gretel meanwhile is watching at Gretel! Pretend to help her with a will then you’ll be put to sleep for good! the window.) (Gretel appears at the door.) I think she’s coming back, pst! Still! But in the meantime you’re too thin; My tongue’s on heat to taste the sweet Hansel simply must eat some more. with you, my precious, I’ll begin. and melting treat of children’s meat. Bring some nuts, there in the store! Girls are sweeter eaten young, With fi ve and six, the witch will mix, (Gretel runs into the house, and returns (The Witch comes out, satisfi es herself that Gretel is fi t to melt a witch’s tongue. with seven and eight you lick your plate, immediately with a basket full of almonds and standing motionless and then spreads before Hansel (She shuts the door and sniffs in it, her face lighted and nine is one and ten is none raisins.) almonds and raisins from a basket.) up by the deep red glare of the fi re.) so much is nil by witch’s will. The dough is made, it’s time to set her braising. She’ll ride until the night is through. Gretel The Witch Quick, while the coals in the fi re are blazing! (Hopping madly along she rides to the back of the Here are some almonds. Look here, you dunce, (She pushes a couple more faggots under; the fi re stage, and vanishes for a time behind the cottage.) (Whilst the witch is feeding Hansel, Gretel gets and show me your tongue at once. fl ames up and then dies down again.) (Here the witch becomes visible again; she comes behind her and makes gestures of disenchantment (sticking a raisin into Hansel’s mouth) (rubbing her hands with glee.) to the foreground, where she suddenly pulls up and with the juniper branch.) Eat, birdie or you’ll die Yes, Gretel dear, you’ll fi t the fi sh-kettle, dear! dismounts.) (softly) in a gristly meat pie! My, my, aren’t I sly! Broomstick, huh! Hocus pocus elderbush, (She turns to Gretel and disenchants her with a Darling, you’ve not had your bun yet, (She hobbles back to the stable and tickles Hansel free the toe she’s frozen, husch! juniper branch.) look in and see if they’re done yet. with a birch-twig till he awakes.) Hocus pocus elder bush! When she bends down, bam, shut the door, slam! 10 Now wake up, it’s time to eat. The Witch (turning round suddenly) Free the toes I’ve frozen, husch! Then when I’ve basted her and tasted her, Show me your tongue, my sweet! What did you say, my little goose? (Gretel moves again.) the rum and the ribs and the brisket (Hansel puts his tongue out.) Now then, my precious dainty beauty, emerge as a gingerbread biscuit. Yummee scrummee. high time you did your domestic duty! My magic oven makes fl esh into gingerbread (smacks with her tongue) (Hansel stirs himself again.) Off you go then, nimble maid, cakes. Stuff your tummy! let us see the table laid: My, my, how sly! (smacks with her tongue again) Gretel (confusedly) cutlery, crockery, cruet and carving knife, Hi, hi, hi hi, hi hi, hi hi hi hi hi! Now, you poor little booby-head, I said eat up now, there’s no excuse.

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CCHANHAN 3143(2)3143(2) Book.inddBook.indd 96-9796-97 330/4/070/4/07 10:03:4210:03:42 The Witch (Gretel hesitates.) Then when I have basted her and tasted her. they become aware of a troop of children around Eh? (Hansel and Gretel fall joyfully into one another’s them, whose disguise of cakes has fallen from them.) Hansel (slipping out of the stable) arms.) Gretel (louder) Don’t succumb, act you’re dumb! 11 Hoorah! Gretel Eat up now, there’s no excuse. Now that the witch is dead Look at the loaves of gingerbread. Gretel (making herself our very awkward) baked to bread we’re out of dread. Don’t know how to cook, Hoorah! Hansel The Witch (sticks a raisin into Gretel’s mouth) don’t know where to look. Teach her to boast and brag. They are children rising from the dead. Oh what a darling. Roast the hag! You have some too my starling! Scene 4 The Witch Toast the scrawny scrag. Eat, birdie or you’ll die, Gingerbread Children (motionless and with closed Open that door there, down by the fl oor there, We foiled her on our own, broil the crone! in a gristly meat pie! eyes as the cake fi gures were before) bend down and try, easy as pie. Boil her down to bone! 12 The dead arise, but cannot see. (They seize each other’s hands.) (She opens the oven door; the heat has apparently Hansel (pulling Gretel back by her frock) Yes, let us dance to see the fl ames leap in ecstasy. Gretel diminished. Meanwhile Hansel makes violent signs Suck your thumb, brain’s gone numb! Lick round the wicked wotch, quick brown the to Gretel.) They live again, but with blinded eyes. wicked witch. Can we help you? We long to set you free! Gretel (shyly) Hip hoorah! Hansel (softly opening the stable door) Please don’t be cross, I’m at a loss! Gingerbread Children Spin a line, play for time! You’ll have to show me. I always learn very (They take each other round the waist and waltz One tender touch will give us back our sight. slowly. together, fi rst in front of the stage, and then The Witch (looking greedily at Gretel) gradually in the direction of the witch’s house. When Hansel (embarrassed) My precious little daughter, The Witch (makes a movement of impatience) they get there Hansel breaks loose from Gretel and It scares me too much, the helpless mite. my mouth begins to water! Bend down and try, easy as pie! rushes into the house, shutting the door after him. Come, Gretel dear, Then from the upper window he throws down Gretel little petal dear. (She begins creeping up to the oven muttering all the apples, pears, oranges, gilded nuts, and all kinds One touch will fi ll their eyes with delight. (Gretel comes towards her.) time, and just as she is bending over it, Hansel and of sweetmeats into Gretel’s outstretched apron. Goodness, you’ve not had your bun yet, Gretel give her a good push, which sends her topping Meanwhile the oven begins crackling loudly, and the (She caresses the nearest child, who opens its eyes look in and see if it’s done yet. into it, upon which they quickly shut the door.) fl ames burn high. Then there is a loud crash and the and smiles.) You just bend down, pet, over falls thundering into bits. Hansel and Gretel, see if they’re brown yet, Gretel and Hansel (mocking her) who in their terror let their sweetmeats all fall Gingerbread Children have a good long look, And when she bends down, bam! down, hurry towards the oven, startled, and stand Oh set me free, oh set me free. see if they’re cooked. Shut the door, slam! there motionless. Their astonishment increases when I long so much for eyes that see!

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CCHANHAN 3143(2)3143(2) Book.inddBook.indd 98-9998-99 330/4/070/4/07 10:03:4310:03:43 (Gretel goes and caresses all the rest of the children, Hansel and Gretel Final Scene Now she’s dead, where’s her head? who open their eyes and smile, without moving. You angels who guard us with all your might by Gretel and Hansel (running towards them) Baked into a loaf of bread. Meanwhile Hansel seizes the juniper branch.) day and night, 13 Father! Mother! let us give you thanks for strength to fi ght for life (The two boys drag the witch into the cottage.) Hansel and light. Mother Hokus pokus elderbush! For life and light for strength and sight Come my dears. Father Free the toes she’s frozen, husch! give thanks with all your might! Life is hard but not all black. Father God will pay the wicked back. (The children jump up and hurry towards Hansel They’re both safe and sound despite our fears! When a child cries out in fear. and Gretel from all sides.) (joyfully embracing) Someone, somewhere surely has to hear, All Gingerbread Children for when in need or dark despair Praise and thanks. (Meanwhile two of the boys have dragged the witch, The light, give thanks for sight! God will surely hear our prayer! Accept out strength to fi ght for life and light, in the form of a big gingerbread cake, out of the ruins of the oven. At the sight of her they all burst (The children close in a circle round Hansel and for the glorious gift of sight! into a shout of joy. The boys place the with in the Hansel and Gretel Gretel.) Give thanks to be alive (They all press round Hansel and Gretel to shake middle of the stage.) When in need or dark despair God will surely hear our prayer! All hands with them.) The witch is dead the witch who fed Give thanks to be alive, All on noses and toes she had baked into bread. Give thanks that we survive. See the witch bewitched for good, (Whilst the children dance in a joyous circle round But safe from harm join arm and arm Alive that we may strive, burnt to pitch, she’s ditched for good! the group, the curtain falls.) and dance away her evil charm. for life and light, for strength and sight, So dance and swing the prancing ring, give thanks with all your might. Adelheid Wette, English translation till every living thing shall spring by David Pountney for joy to greet each rescued girl and boy.

(Four Gingerbread children at a time surround Father (behind the scenes) Hansel and Gretel, and bow gracefully to them.) Ral-la-la-la, ral-la-la-la, would that we knew where our children were! Hansel Ral-la-la-la, ral-la-la-la-la. The angels showed in a dream they would look (The father appears in the background with the after us, mother, and stops when he sees the children.) let their reward be a stream of children’s laughter. Look! why there they are!

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CCHANHAN 3143(2)3143(2) Book.inddBook.indd 100-101100-101 330/4/070/4/07 10:03:4510:03:45 On session: Diana Montague On session: Robert Hayward

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CCHANHAN 3143(2)3143(2) Book.inddBook.indd 102-103102-103 330/4/070/4/07 10:03:4610:03:46 On session From left to right: Sir Peter Moores, Jane Henschel, Rebecca Evans, Brian Couzens, Sir Charles Mackerras and Ralph Couzens

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CCHANHAN 3143(2)3143(2) Book.inddBook.indd 104-105104-105 330/4/070/4/07 10:03:5110:03:51 The Opera In English Series Great Operatic Arias

CHAN 3011(2) Donizetti: Don Pasquale CHAN 3079(2) Verdi: Falstaff CHAN 3057(3) Mozart: Don Giovanni CHAN 3127 Christine Brewer CHAN 3027(2) Donizetti: The Elixir of Love CHAN 3116(2) Verdi: A Masked Ball CHAN 3103(2) Mozart: Idomeneo CHAN 3096 Elizabeth Futral CHAN 3083(2) Donizetti: Lucia of Lammermoor CHAN 3136(2) Verdi: Nabucco CHAN 3113(3) Mozart: The Marriage of Figaro CHAN 3035 Yvonne Kenny CHAN 3017(2) Donizetti: Mary Stuart CHAN 3068(2) Verdi: Otello CHAN 3121(2) Mozart: The Magic Flute CHAN 3099 Yvonne Kenny 2 CHAN 3073 Janet Baker sings scenes from Mary CHAN 3030(2) Verdi: Rigoletto CHAN 3022 Strauss: Der Rosenkavalier (The CHAN 3049 Della Jones Stuart CHAN 3023(2) Verdi: La traviata Knight of the Rose, highlights) CHAN 3142 Jennifer Larmore CHAN 3003 Leoncavallo: Pagliacci (The Touring CHAN 3036(2) Verdi: Il trovatore (The Troubadour) CHAN 3119(2) Wagner: The Flying Dutchman CHAN 3010 Diana Montague Company) CHAN 3067 A Verdi Celebration CHAN 3054(3) Wagner: The Rhinegold CHAN 3093 Diana Montague 2 CHAN 3004 Mascagni: Cavalleria rusricana CHAN 3091(2) Bizet: Carmen CHAN 3038(4) Wagner: The Valkyrie CHAN 3112 Barry Banks (Rustic Chivalry) CHAN 3014(3) Gounod: Faust CHAN 3045(4) Wagner: Siegfried CHAN 3006 Bruce Ford CHAN 3005(2) Pagliacci & Cavalleria rusticana CHAN 3089(2) Gounod: Faust (abridged) CHAN 3060(5) Wagner: Twilight of the Gods CHAN 3100 Bruce Ford 2 CHAN 3008(2) Puccini: La bohème CHAN 3033(2) Massenet: Werther CHAN 3065(16) Wagner: Complete Ring Cycle CHAN 3088 Bruce Ford sings Viennese Operetta CHAN 3070(2) Puccini: Madam Butterfl y CHAN 3134(2) Poulenc: The Carmelites CHAN 3133 Bartók: Bluebeard’s Castle CHAN 3013 Dennis O’Neill CHAN 3000(2) Puccini: Tosca CHAN 3130(3) Berg: Lulu CHAN 3101(2) Janácˇek: The Cunning Little Vixen CHAN 3105 Dennis O’Neill 2 CHAN 3066 Jane Eaglen sings Tosca CHAN 3094(2) Berg: Wozzeck CHAN 3029(2) Janácˇek: Osud (Fate) CHAN 3085 Alan Opie CHAN 3086(2) Puccini: Turandot CHAN 3019(3) Handel: Julius Caesar CHAN 3106(2) Janácˇek: Jenu˚fa CHAN 3077 Andrew Shore CHAN 3025(2) Rossini: The Barber of Seville CHAN 3072 Janet Baker sings scenes from Julius CHAN 3138(2) Janácˇek: The Makropulos Case CHAN 3032 Alastair Miles CHAN 3097(2) Rossini: The Thieving Magpie Caesar CHAN 3007 Mussorgsky: Boris Godunov CHAN 3044 John Tomlinson CHAN 3074(2) Verdi: Aida (highlights) CHAN 3081(2) Mozart: The Abduction from the CHAN 3076 John Tomlinson 2 CHAN 3052(2) Verdi: Ernani Seraglio CHAN 3128(2) Smetana: The Bartered Bride CHAN 3118 Sir Thomas Allen CHAN 3042(2) Tchaikovsky: Eugene Onegin CHAN 3078 Baroque Celebration

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CCHANHAN 3143(2)3143(2) Book.inddBook.indd 106-107106-107 330/4/070/4/07 10:03:5610:03:56 Also AvailableOn session: Richard Farnes and Brian Couzens Also AvailableOn session: Richard Farnes and Brian Couzens CHAN 3142 CHAN 3138(2)

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CCHANHAN 3143(2)3143(2) Book.inddBook.indd 108-109108-109 330/4/070/4/07 10:03:5710:03:57 Also AvailableOn session: Richard Farnes and Brian Couzens

Vocal and language consultant: Ludmilla Andrew Staging direction: Charles Kilpatrick Music hired from Welsh National Opera

Session photos by Bill Cooper

Recording producer Brian Couzens Sound engineer Ralph Couzens Assistant engineer & Editor Jonathan Cooper Operas administrator Sue Shortridge Recording venue Blackheath Halls, London; 22 – 27 November 2006 Front cover Montage by designer Back cover Photo of Sir Charles Mackerras Design and typesetting Cassidy Rayne Creative Booklet editor Kara Reed Copyright English translation © 1987 David Pountney (updated 2003 Welsh National Opera)

CHAN 3121(2) P 2007 Chandos Records Ltd C 2007 Chandos Records Ltd

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CCHANHAN 3143(2)3143(2) Book.inddBook.indd 110-111110-111 330/4/070/4/07 10:04:0010:04:00 ENGELBERT HUMPERDINCK ORCHESTRA/ MACKERRAS SOLOISTS /PHILHARMONIA CHANDOS DIGITAL CHAN 3143(2)

Printed in the EU Engelbert Humperdinck (1854 –1921) LC 7038 DDD TT 101:08 Recorded in 24-bit/96kHz Hansel and Gretel Märchenspiel (fairy-tale) in three acts Libretto by Adelheid Wette after a fairy-tale by the Brothers Grimm, English translation by David Pountney

: Hansel Jennifer Larmore mezzo-soprano HANSEL AND GRETEL Gretel, his sister Rebecca Evans soprano Gertrude, their Mother Rosalind Plowright mezzo-soprano Peter, their Father Robert Hayward baritone The Witch Jane Henschel mezzo-soprano The Dew Fairy Sarah Tynan soprano The Sandman Diana Montague mezzo-soprano

New London Children’s Choir COMPACT DISC COMPACT DISC Philharmonia Orchestra ONE TWO TT 58:49 TT 42:19

CHAN 3143(2)

CHANDOS Sir Charles Mackerras

p 2007 Chandos Records Ltd c 2007 Chandos Records Ltd Chandos Records Ltd • Colchester • Essex • England

CCHANHAN 31432)31432) BackBack Inlay.inddInlay.indd 1 330/4/070/4/07 10:10:4410:10:44