A nightmare-inducing Hänsel und Gretel

By Ilana Walder-Biesanz, 26 November 2014

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Reviewed at Nationaltheater, Munich on 25 November 2014

Humperdinck, Hänsel und Gretel

Bavarian State Opera

Tomáš Hanus, Conductor

Richard Jones, Director

John Macfarlane, Costume Designer, Set Designer

Michaela Martens, Gertrude / Mother

Hanna-Elisabeth Müller, Gretel

Rachael Wilson, Sandman

Tara Erraught, Hänsel

Wolfgang Ablinger-Sperrhacke, Witch

Sebastian Holecek, Peter / Father

Bavarian State Opera Children's Chorus

Bayerisches Staatsorchester

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Even without a gingerbread house, there’s enough wickedness in Richard Jones’ staging of Humperdinck’s opera for sweet tooths to savour.

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Tobias Kratzer's prelude to this new Ring cycle exceeds all expectations and scores a musical-theatrical success.

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Evgeny Titov's new production is heavy on the jokes and light in substance, but delights anyway thanks to its high-class cast.

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Waltzing masks and masquerades in Kosky’s new Fledermaus

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Expect sequins and swinging chandeliers in the Australian director's new Fledermaus at the Bayerische Staatsoper.

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Ilana Walder-Biesanz

Ilana Walder-Biesanz is a product manager for Yahoo, a theatre and opera critic, and a classically trained mezzo-soprano. She explored theater and opera stagings as a Gates Scholar at Cambridge and as a Fulbright Scholar in Germany. She currently writes for Bachtrack, San Francisco Classical Voice, and Stark Insider. Twitter: @ilana_wb.

A nightmare-inducing Hänsel und Gretel in Munich