This December 14 and 16 at Paisley Town Hall, we are delighted to be presenting Engelbert Humperdinck's magical fairy tale, Hansel & Gretel, in a bright and vivid new concert staging. These concert performances help celebrate the reopening of the iconic 19th-century architectural gem which has undergone a multimillion-pound transformation.
Our Music Director Stuart Stratford conducts our Orchestra and a cast that includes our Associate Artist Lea Shaw (Carmen 2023) as Hansel and former Emerging Artist Catriona Hewitson (Daphne 2023) as Gretel, with former Associate Artist Heather Ireson (Il trittico 2023) in the dual role of the Mother and the Witch. Our current Emerging Artists Ross Cumming and Inna Husieva (both seen in this year’s Daphne) appear as the Father and The Sandman and The Dew Fairy respectively, along with a children’s chorus. Roxana Haines (Rubble 2022) stages this English translation by David Pountney.
After being banished from home by their exasperated mother, Hansel and Gretel plunge deep into the forest on a grand adventure. But not everything is as it seems in this enchanted wood. The young pair will need every ounce of courage, cleverness, and hope if they're to escape the lure of the Witch and her gingerbread hut. The classic fairy tale’s world of magic, fireflies, and fairies comes to life through Humperdinck’s lush and majestic score, which has something for every listener – from the beautiful ‘Evening Prayer’ to enchanting folk-inspired melodies.
Book your tickets now at www.scottishopera.org.uk/shows/hansel-and-gretel