HANSEL AND GRETEL - PREMIERE

ON THE NOB STAGE   The National Opera House in Bucharest (NOB) will present during the first part of the season 2009-2010, for all the lyrical theater fans, irrespective of their age, a magical event! It is the premiere of the opera “Hansel and Gretel” by Engelbert Humperdinck, one of the most popular musical works for children. Starting with its Weimar premiere in 1893 (conduced by Richard Strauss), the opera was met with tremendous success all over the world, both by the younger and older audience alike.  In its turn, the National Opera House in Bucharest presents its audience Brothers Grimm’s popular characters, by means of an exceptionally gifted team: conductor – Vlad Conta, stage direction – Anda Tabacaru-Hogea, scenography – Adriana Urmuzescu, choreography – Simona Somacescu, acrobatic choreography – Ama Butoiescu (Globus Circus in Bucharest). Stage direction assistant: Irina Macovei. The performances will take pace on Friday, 11th of December, and Saturday, 12th of December 2009, at 6:30 p.m. The wonderful characters in the story will be embodied by soloists Vasile Chisiu, Ion Dimieru, Florin Simionca (Peter – Father), Madeleine Pascu, Ana Maria Comsa, NOB guest (Gertrud – Mother), Mihaela Ispan, Maria Jinga (Hansel), Mihaela Stanciu, Ioana Mitu, NOB guest (Gretel), Adriana Alexandru, Valentin Racoveanu (Witch), Simonida Lutescu, Valentina Tudose (Fairy of the Night), Cristina Eremia, Valentina Tudose (Fairy of Dawns). The National Opera House in Bucharest gives ample scope to performances for children, with the hope of ensuring, by means of education, a fresh and well-informed audience. And the outcome of this performance genre became soon obvious, as demonstrated by the growing number of audience at children performances (the opera “Puss in Boots” and the ballet “Snow White and the Seven Dwarves” by Cornel Trailescu, “Pete and the Wolf” by Sergey Prokofiev, “Nutcracker” by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, the choreographic poem “Sea Girl” by Carmen Petra Basacopol, and the special performances “Letters for Santa Clause” and “Dolls Store”).  The new NOB production, the opera “Hansel and Gretel”, is an invitation to enter a fairy realm, an invitation addressed children, parents, grand parents, as well as those willing to go back to their childhood tales.