Your first lesson should always be the Mandatory Lesson or a review of that lesson. If you have time for only one other lesson, please make that a review of the synopsis (or plot line) of the play. Hansel and Gretel is singing theatre. For the history of this art form, go to this link. If you have time for more than one lesson, or if your students already understand the rules of live theatre, please feel free to choose one of the additional lessons. They are divided roughly by general subject matter, e. g. language arts, social studies, et cetera.

Language Arts
Read and review with your class the classic story from the Grimm’s fairy tales. The villains of the original piece are the wicked witch and the stepmother. Have your class write a compare and contrast paper, using this version and another version. The opera, Hansel and Gretel, is “singing theatre” and may lend itself to a comparison with the movie version. Depending on the level of your class and the books available, you might consider using a variety of other versions such as the seventeen listed on Wikipedia.

The Grimm Brothers collected folk lore. Have your students determine the difference between fairy tales and folk lore. Many fairy tales are stories from folk lore which have been altered. One famous person who altered many folk tales and created them as fairy tales was Charles Perrault. Another person in the field was Hans Christian Anderson. Have your students investigate the styles and decide which they think is the most true to the original, which is the most interesting and which is the best version for children. Be sure they defend their opinion with evidence from the stories.

While the Grimm’s version of Hansel and Gretel is often included in collections of fairy tales, strictly speaking, it is folklore. Have your students list the elements of each, then choose versions of Hansel and Gretel from others they have found and decide where they fit. Have your students decide if there are elements of fairy tales in the Humperdinck version. Can it be considered a fairy tale?

After they have read several versions of Hansel and Gretel, have your students write their own version. Be sure to set up guidelines for them, preferably with them included in the process. Must this be a fairy tale? Folk tale? If so, what elements are critical to have present? What time frame is allowed? Must it be set in the distant part or is the present and/or future acceptable, as well. Must everyone “live happily ever after”? How many characters are needed? Et cetera.

Choose one of the characters in the story. Decide how you would change that part if you were asked to rewrite the story. Would you give that person a bigger role? a smaller one? make them nicer? meaner? When you have decided, write one scene with your “new, improved” character. Have your classmates help you to decide if your rewrite would improve the story.

Write a newspaper column as the theatre critic. Tell your readers what was good and not so good about the performance you viewed. Be sure to support your opinion with evidence from the performance. Before you begin this assignment, be sure to read several actual newspaper reviews. You do not need to imitate the style of the newspaper critic, only provide the same kind of opinion and support for that opinion.

This version of Hansel and Gretel was composed by Engelbert Humperdinck. Research his life and write a biography about him. Depending on your students’ level, you may require several sources including one or more from the internet. Have your students help make a rubric telling what information would be needed to do justice to this subject. They will include such things as his location and date of birth, his family status, financial information about his early life, etc. The report must include information about his compositions, of course. You may wish to ask for certain specifics, such as how many operas, operettas, etc. he composed. Your students should also note which of his pieces (if any) are well known today. Be sure to let them include historical items of interest, such as his favorite foods, etc.

Have your students determine who Adelheid Wette was and what her connection is to this opera. Have them study her life and her activities in support of Engelbert. Also, have your students look at the role of the librettist. Have them discuss which they think is the more difficult role, librettist, lyricist or composer. Be sure they offer evidence to support their opinion.

Humperdinck was a great admirer of the composer Richard Wagner. Have your students research their interactions and look for influences in Humperdinck’s life. Have them write a piece comparing and contrasting the two musicians.

Humperdinck became a private musician to the Krupp family. Have your students look into the history of the Krupps and decide how they affected life for him. (The Krupp dynasty of armament makers remained wealthy and in the forefront of German militarization up to and including the years following WWII. The last Krupp to be involved in the family business died in1967.)

Technology and Math
Have your students research on the internet and see how many versions of Hansel and Gretel they can find. How many are named some version of Hansel and Gretel? How many have other names such as Buttercup and Molly Huppie? Decide what other kinds of variations you are interested in as a class and search for them, also. For example, how many have step-mothers, how many have ugly witches, fierce animals, etc. Determine the best way to show your results, by graphs, charts, etc.

Music
Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel is an opera. Although the original is in German, it is sung in English in our performances. What makes this an opera? What effect does the music have on the story? Compare and contrast the behavior of the audience in Humperdinck’s time to the behavior of the audience at an opera today. Could you compare this type of behavior to today’s fan clubs? Compare and contrast the behavior of the opera goer in Humperdinck’s time to the behavior of attendees at a rock concert today.

Hansel and Gretel is typical of opera, containing many voices. What makes each voice special? While attending the play, listen for those characteristics of the voice of our leading ladies. (One is a mezzo-soprano, one a soprano.) Where in the play do their voices “show off” at its very best? Note to teacher: you may use any of the voices in the play. The Witch in our version is played by a man, a tenor. That is not uncommon. The opposite is also done here with women playing characters who are men. (Ladies who sing male roles are said to be in “pants roles”.) Having several students each looking at a different voice would give your class an opportunity to decide who they thought was the better singer, performer, actor/actress, etc. You should give this assignment before attending the performance so they can be especially observant of “their” performer. They should provide specifics to support their opinion.

We have cast children in this opera. Have your students decide if they would like to be in an opera or a play. What do they think they would need to be able to do to succeed? (Our children have attended a Summer Academy at Lyric Opera studying voice, acting and dance and have already participated in at least one public performance with Lyric Opera Academy.)

There are two of the songs of the opera presented here. Have your students write new words for one of them, or new music for one, keeping the old words. Have them decide which they found harder. Notice that the second song contains a riddle. Have them attempt to solve it before you reveal the answer. Have them attempt to rewrite the song including a riddle that today’s children might more easily solve.

Art
Closely observe the sets for Hansel and Gretel. Write a paper describing your opinion of the scenery as presented. Be sure to provide evidence to support your opinion. As a follow-up activity, have students design one set they would like to see used for this production. Have them tell why they think the set they have designed would improve it.

Closely observe the costumes for Hansel and Gretel. Write a paper describing your opinion of the costumes as presented. Be sure to provide evidence to support your opinion.

As a follow-up activity, have students design costumes for one scene or one character they would like to see used for this production. Have them tell why they think the costume they have designed would improve it.

Have your students create a playbill to advertise this play. Decide in advance if they should use the performance you are to attend (or have attended) or if they should create one from the time of Humperdinck, a possible date in the distant future, or other options. Another option would be to create a handbill.

Have your students design a “new” witch for this play. Have them tell why they used the colors, materials, special effect etc., make up, etc. in their version of the evil witch. If your students are intrigued by witches, have them create a “good” witch also, explaining the differences they create. Have them put the witch into the play and explain how and where they could use her.

Have your students design a “new” angel for this play. Have them tell why they used the colors, materials, special effect etc., make up, etc. in their version of the angel. If your students are intrigued by angels, have them create a “bad” angel also, explaining the differences they create. Have them put the angel into the play and explain how and where they could use it.

Social Studies
Compare and contrast the role of poverty in two of the countries that have Hansel and Gretel stories. Does the story from that country reflect the role of poverty accurately? Do you think that the role of poverty is accurately portrayed in this version of Hansel and Gretel? In the original version, the parents lead the children into the woods purposely so there will be more food for themselves. How does the operatic version change how the parents are viewed? Which of the characters is portrayed in a sympathetic way? Is that person or persons rich or poor? What does that say about the feelings of people about poverty? Is this a generalization? What is the danger of generalizing?

Theatre has often been used to poke fun at social problems or to criticize public figures such as the nobility or politicians. Discuss what plays and stories your students know that have a social message included. Look at this version of Hansel and Gretel and help them find the social problems addressed and the “message” of this story.

Career and Technical Education
There are many people other than performers involved in this kind of production. There are two links to help you here. The first link will tell your students about creating the performance itself. There are numbers of people who are involved in this process. The second link will provide you with information on the people who are rarely, if ever, seen. Have your students look at this list and determine an area that interests them. Have them research the opportunities in that area and write a report on it.

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Revised October 2009
Please credit Lyric Opera San Diego when using this material.