Video: First Look at HANSEL AND GRETEL at Lyric Opera of Chicago

Lyric Opera of Chicago is presenting the return of Humperdinck's deliciously dark fairytale Hansel and Gretel, January 25 to February 5, 2023. This ever-fresh, whimsical masterpiece is packed with musical gems-and still-relevant moral lessons-that make it a wonderful introduction to opera for all audiences.

Get a first look at highlights from the show below!

Conducting the Lyric Opera Orchestra is Sir Andrew Davis, who returns for his first operatic production since he retired as Lyric's Music Director in 2021. At this evening's opening-night performance (January 25), Davis will be named Lyric's Music Director Emeritus in honor of his more than two decades of service leading the company's musical forces. During his 36-year career at Lyric-including 21 years as Music Director-he has conducted 700 opera performances of 61 operas by 21 different composers, plus special concerts. Tonight's Hansel and Gretel will mark his 701st opera performance at Lyric, his 62nd opera with Lyric, and Humperdinck is the 22nd composer he has conducted at Lyric.

This widely celebrated production by Richard Jones is directed by Eric Einhorn, and its sweetly grotesque set design takes audiences on a strange and twisted world of discovery. The cast is led by Samantha Hankey in her Lyric debut as Hansel, Heidi Stober as Gretel, and Jill Grove as The Witch.

Hansel and Gretel runs for six performances only, through February 5. Audiences are invited to experience this operatic classic on a musical and theatrical scale only Lyric Opera of Chicago can offer.