Saltworks Opera to Perform Hansel and Gretel

Hansel and Gretel (German: Hänsel und Gretel) is an opera by nineteenth-century composer Engelbert Humperdinck, who described it as a Märchenoper (fairy-tale opera). The libretto was written by Humperdinck’s sister, Adelheid Wette, based on the Grimm brothers’ fairy tale “Hansel and Gretel”. It is much admired for its folk music-inspired themes, one of the most famous being the “Abendsegen” (“Evening Benediction”) from act 2.

The idea for the opera was proposed to Humperdinck by his sister, who approached him about writing music for songs that she had written for her children for Christmas based on “Hansel and Gretel”. After several revisions, the musical sketches and the songs were turned into a full-scale opera.

Coming in January, Salt Works Opera will be bringing this show to Franktown Methodist Church, 7551  Bayside Road in Franktown.

Directed by Will Stanley, the shows will be presented on Friday the 11th at 7 PM, Saturday the 12th at 2 PM and Sunday the 13th at 2 PM.

Meet Jeannette Lee, who will be performing as Hansel.

A native of Hong Kong, mezzo-soprano Jeannette Lee graduated from the Chinese University of Hong Kong with a Bachelor of Arts double majoring in Music and English (First Class Honors). Apart from obtaining her Licentiate Diploma in singing with Distinction from the Trinity College London, she has won top prizes in local competitions such as the Hong Kong Schools Music Festival’s prestigious Miss Barbara Fei Vocal Solo Prize twice and the Good Hope Singers Trophy.

Her operatic roles include Cherubino (Le nozze di Figaro), Prince Orlofsky (Die Fledermaus), Fox Golden-mane (The Cunning Little Vixen), Hänsel (Hänsel und Gretel) and Hermia (A Midsummer Night’s Dream). This upcoming season, she is engaged to reprise her role as Hänsel with Saltworks Opera in January 2019.

As a concert soloist, Jeannette has performed with the internet sensation TwoSet Violin with Hong Kong Festival Orchestra Hong Kong, Handel’s Messiah with Masterworks Chorale (Boston), Monteverdi’s Marienvesper with Lautten Compagney (Berlin), Bach’s BWV 70 with the Hong Kong SingFest, Schoenberg’s Pierrot Lunaire with the CUHK New Music Ensemble as well as Rutter’s A Sprig of Thyme and Schumann’s Zigeunerleben with the Chung Chi College Choir.Jeannette is currently a second year Masters of Music student at New England Conservatory with the generous support of the Hong Kong Jockey Club Music and Dance Fund.–