Stereo/Multichannel Hybrid
Classical - Opera
Katrin Wundsam (Hansel, mezzo-soprano)
Alexandra Steiner (Gretel, soprano)
Ricarda Merbeth (Mother, soprano)
Albert Dohmen (Father, bass-baritone)
Christian Eisner (Gingerbread Witch, tenor)
Annika Gerhards (Little Sandman, soprano)
Alexandra Hutton (Little Dew Fairy, soprano)
Kinderchor der Staatsoper Unter den Linden
Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin
Marek Janowski (conductor)
Is it possible to administer at too early an age the intoxicating and
gloriously sweet poison of opera, especially in an era of constant
muzak? The clear answer is “No!”. In a splendidly moving new recording
of Engelbert Humperdinck’s one-hit wonder Hansel and Gretel, Maestro
Marek Janowski now introduces the perfect “gateway drug” to opera.
The fairy-tale opera Hansel and Gretel is a perfect choice as the first
joint trip to the opera for parents and children to enjoy. The story of
the two children who lose their way in the forest and are ensnared by
the evil witch is well-known. The plot reflects the age-old conflict
between good and evil, and has a happy ending. Add to this Humperdinck’s
magical music: poetically childlike and powerfully dramatic at the same
time. In the score, Humperdinck’s close connection to Richard Wagner is
always discernible. The composition oscillates between childlike
simplicity and adult monumentality.
To this day, Hansel and Gretel remains one of the most popular pieces in
the German opera repertoire. One of the main reasons for this is
certainly the seriousness with which Humperdinck approached the simple
story. All emotions are truly felt: and this is obvious not only to a
child, but also to any adult who has retained a childlike view of the
world.
Who better than Marek Janowski here as conductor? Not only does he
clearly feel completely at home in this late-Romantic German repertoire,
he has also already given benchmark-setting interpretations of these
works in both the major concert halls and the most important
opera-houses. At the head of “his” Radio Symphony Orchestra Berlin –
which he previously led for 14 years, raising it to an outstanding level
of playing – he takes the listeners into the forest-bird sound-world of
this fairy-tale opera, at all times accompanied by a well-coordinated
ensemble of singers.
Manuel Brug wrote the following for Klassiker Welt-Blog: “Coming from
the Wagner camp are Albert Dohmen (Peter) and Ricarda Merbeth (Gertrud)
as the parents, who pulled out all vocal stops in a highly dramatic and
parodic manner. Tenor Christian Elsner was terrific as the wicked witch.
The lyrical ladies’ quartet (Katrin Wundsam as Hansel, Alexandra
Steiner as Gretel, Annika Gerhards and Alexandra Hutton as the Sandman
and, respectively, the Dew Fairy) sang in sweetly beautiful voice, in
accordance with their roles.”