Manitoba Underground Opera whisked audience members to the dark woods of Bavaria between August 21st and 25th as it presented the second offering of its 2024 season, Engelbert Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel.

With a libretto written by Humperdinck’s sister Adelheid Wette, based in turn on Grimm’s classic fairy tale, the 90-minute production (sung in English) was directed by Jillian Willems also featured a five-piece string orchestra led by the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra’s Monica Chen.

Opera companies have increasingly been incorporating digital technology into their productions to create often dazzling visual effects, and this production did so as well. Local lighting designer jaymez conjured a lush, 20-foot forest glade projected above the side ramp to the stage – thus doubling the play area with audience members swivelling in their seats to watch – as well as a rustic family cottage and a candy-coloured gingerbread house serving as backdrops for the hall’s main stage. Animated images of woodland birds and even the Witch sailing through the night sky on her broom (receiving loud chuckles from the crowd) added further mystery and magic.

Soprano Grace Budoloski brought the sweet innocence of childhood to her title role as Gretel, while, as her feistier sibling, soprano Carmen Harris in her trouser role of Hansel spars and taunts his sister like real-life, closely knit kin. Their luminous Act I duet, “Evening Prayer” sung as darkness falls after they lose their way in the woods, elicited goose bumps, with the well-matched duo entwining their voices together in soulful harmony as they sing of the “14 angels” guarding their slumber.

“Cuckoo, cuckoo” was another enchanting duet, as the two singers took turns mimicking birdcalls over the other’s lyrical vocal lines with pitch perfect intonation. They also charmed in “Ti-re-li-reli! The day is here!” as well as the (literally) toe-tapping “Brother, come and dance with me,” sung with folksy charm.

As with so many Brothers Grimm stories, Hansel and Gretel is laced with all-too-real family dysfunction, witchcraft, drunkenness and even, in this case, cannibalism. Mezzo-soprano Kelly Robinson brought compassion and empathy to her role of Mother, struggling with feeding her children, who banishes Hansel and Gretel to forage for strawberries. The singer infused her sorrowful solo “My jug all in bits” with deep humanity as she admits she’s “weary of living,” finally laying her head to rest on the kitchen table.

Photo Credit: Paul McKeen

Geneva Halverson (the Witch) threatens Carmen Harris (Hansel) at Manitoba Underground Opera 

Bass-baritone Mihnea Nitu’s Father boomed his way into the hall as he strode in from its back foyer swinging a whiskey bottle. His robust vocals were first displayed during his a cappella opening aria “Ral-la-la-la, ral-la-la-la, light the fire.” His fear became palpable as he warns Mother of the Gingerbread Witch living in the woods, lying in wait to gobble up children.

Geneva Halverson’s red-plumed Witch sparked real terror (although the mezzo-soprano’s portrayal might have gone even further) during the singer’s taunting “Nibble, nibble, mousey, who’s nibbling at my housey?” in the third act, before an even more chilling “Hocus pocus, witch’s spell!” its final line hissed like a serpent with devilish glee.

By contrast, coloratura soprano Ashley Boychuk radiated goodness in her dual roles: tenderly ushering the children into dreamland as Sandman with “I am the little Sandman,” before awakening them again as the Dew Fairy during “When dew drops on the daisy.”

It’s always jolting in these arguably kinder, gentler (if not overly sanitized) times just how far these Germanic fairy tales push into life’s impenetrable shadows, with several young children appearing saucer-eyed throughout the Thursday evening performance. But there are also – sometimes – happy endings, and this one came as Hansel and Gretel are reunited with their heartsick parents after tricking the Witch into her own fiery death.

While the compact cast did not include a chorus of echoes, a gingerbread children’s ensemble, nor the 14 angels appearing in dream pantomime that would have added further to the production, the joyful finale “Children mark this wonder well: Witch is caught in Witch’s spell,” including Father’s final benediction “In the darkest hour of grief, God above will send relief,” still stirred the soul as a heartfelt testament to the power of family and faith.

Photo Credit: Paul McKeen

Hansel (Carmen Harris) and Gretel (Grace Budoloski) asleep in the woods

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