Pacific Opera and SUSO Present HANSEL AND GRETEL

This October long weekend, young singers from Pacific Opera's boutique opera training studio will be tackling Engelbert Humperdinck's Hansel and Gretel opera.

The action onstage will be directed by renowned Sydney-based director, Kate Gaul, who is excited for the challenges that the work presents.

"It is with great pleasure that I return to Pacific Opera to direct this bewitching opera," Gaul said. "The story of Hansel and Gretel is possibly well known and in this operatic version, the audience is transported into a spellbinding, haunted forest full of spirits, including a Dew Fairy, a Sandman, and a spooky witch."

Led by young up-and-coming conductor, Luke Spicer, the singers will be ably supported by the musicians of the Sydney University Symphony Orchestra, in their opera debut.

Gaul said, "Hansel and Gretel, as with some fairy tales, has a subtext that may have disturbing implications. This opera is based on the rather foreboding fairy tale - originally set in medieval Germany during a famine. This production will not be so dark that it isn't suitable for children and I hope to see many at this production."

In the lead roles are two young stars from Pacific Opera.

Rebecca Hart (23, Penshurst) will be playing Hansel. In her second year with Pacific Opera, Hart is French-Australian and is currently a semi-finalist in the prestigious Marianne Mathy Award, part of Australian Singing Competition.

Emily Turner (27, Pyrmont), originally from Cairns, is in her third year at Pacific Opera. Gretel will be her graduation performance from the Young Artist Program.

Performed in the original German, the performances will feature cutting edge surtitling technology on audience phones, a well as the traditional projected surtitles.

FUN FACT - It's interesting to note that in the entire history of the art form, according to Performances Magazine, Hansel and Gretel is the only opera with a libretto (originally) written by a woman!