The Royal Opera Celebrates Christmas With HANSEL AND GRETEL

The Royal Opera presents a stunning new production of Humperdinck's Hansel and Gretel - the perfect operatic treat for the festive period. This exquisite adaptation of the well-known Brothers Grimm fairytale is staged by director and designer Antony McDonald, who crafts a picture-book production to bring this darkly enchanting story to vivid life.

The Royal Opera's new production marks 125 years since Hansel and Gretel's premiere on 23 December 1893, when Richard Strauss conducted the opera's first performance in Weimar, and began the work's close and enduring association with Christmas. Humperdinck's score combines irresistibly catchy folksongs with a lyrical overture and orchestral interludes that are marvels of rich, late-Romantic orchestration.

Renowned conductor and General Music Director of Frankfurt Opera, Sebastian Weigle, makes his Royal Opera debut conducting Hansel and Gretel, with a cast led by former Jette Parker Young Artists mezzo-soprano Hanna Hipp as Hansel and soprano Jennifer Davis as Gretel, and featuring tenor Gerhard Siegel as the Witch.

Hansel and Gretel opens at the Royal Opera House on 13 December 2018, with subsequent performances on 17, 21, 27 and 29 December 2018. The Royal Opera presents a Schools' Matinee performance of Hansel and Gretel on 11 December 2018, supported by The Taylor Family Foundation.


The Royal Opera, under the artistic direction of Antonio Pappano, Music Director, and Oliver Mears, Director of Opera, is one of the world's leading opera companies. Based in the iconic Covent Garden theatre, it is renowned both for its outstanding performances of traditional opera and for commissioning new works by today's leading opera composers, such as Harrison Birtwistle, Mark-Anthony Turnage and Thomas Adès.

About the Royal Opera House
The Royal Opera House's aim is for many more people to enjoy and engage in exceptional ballet and opera. As The Royal Ballet, The Royal Opera and the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, we bring together the world's most extraordinary ballet and opera artists in more than 500 performances every year: live events that thrill, move and excite, and that transport people to other worlds though music, dance and theatre.