Hänsel und Gretel

Synopsis

In bringing the work back to the Wiener Staatsoper for its first new production since World War II – inventively directed by Adrian Noble, former Artistic Director of Britain’s Royal Shakespeare Company – it’s no surprise that, as one of today’s most admired interpreters of both Wagner and Strauss, German conductor Christian Thielemann should particularly relish the musical echoes of those composers’ works in Humperdinck’s score. In Opera magazine’s words, “He polished all these moments with refinement and subtlety, inspiring the Staatsopernorchester to play with energy, engagement and transparence.” Other reviews were equally ecstatic, praising both the orchestra’s “fabulously resplendent and silky playing” (Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung) and Thielemann’s “concern for an elegantly flowing musical line … and for a lightness and transparency that allow this noble music to sparkle in manifold ways” – in short, the whole performance was “musically exceptional … a miniature miracle in sound” (Wiener Zeitung).

Additional Info

• No: A04050047
• Composer: Engelbert Humperdinck
• Conductor: Christian Thielemann
• Orchestra: Orchester der Wiener Staatsoper
• Artists: Adrian Eröd, Janina Baechle, Daniela Sindram, Ileana Tonca, Michaela Schuster
• Production year: 2015
• Run time: 01:53:00
• Director: Stage Director: Adrian Noble
• Producers: ORF and UNITEL CLASSICA in co-production with ZDF/Arte in cooperation with Wiener Staatsoper
• Format: HDTV 16:9