The opera Hansel and Gretel by Engelbert Humperdinck (1854-1921) can be considered the only successful fairy-tale opera of its kind. Characteristic of the work is the harmony between the fairy-tale tone and the inspired, atmospheric music, in which the mystery of the forest is masterfully portrayed. The folk-song-like melodies and simple motifs are artfully crafted into a through-composed structure of almost symphonic proportions. The premiere date: December 23, 1895, Weimar Court Theatre, just before Christmas, established the play as a Christmas tale, although it is set in summer (the children are sent into the forest to gather berries) and the only reference to the Christmas season is the gingerbread. Bruno Bettelheim writes: Hansel and Gretel is one of the many fairy tales in which two siblings save each other, which they succeed in doing because they join forces. The child does not see existential dangers objectively, but in fantastic exaggeration according to his immature fear. The fairy tale of Hansel and Gretel encourages him to also examine the fantasy products of his own fear, as such fairy tales give him the confidence that he can not only cope with real dangers, but even with the highly exaggerated ones that only exist in his fear. As long as children believe in witches - as they always have and always will until they are so old that they no longer feel compelled to give their shapeless fears a human-like form - they should be told stories in which clever children manage to free themselves from such persecutor figures of their imagination. If they succeed in doing so, they will benefit immensely - just like Hansel and Gretel.
"The romantic tone, the folk song-like sprinklings, the
motifs, which are occasionally reminiscent of Richard Wagner,
all of which conductor Wagner brings together to create an exciting
interpretation, for which he and his musicians are rewarded with bravos
." Heilbronner Stimme
