BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — An adaptation of a well-known fairy tale will combine the talent of Illinois Wesleyan University’s opera program and symphony orchestra for a four-day showing of Hansel and Gretel this weekend at Hansen Student Center.
Presented by the IWU School of Music, each opera showing is free and open to the public, with performances at 7:30 p.m. on Nov. 21-23 and at 3 p.m. on Nov. 24. Guests are encouraged to arrive early to secure a seat.
The opera, written by nineteenth-century composer Engelbert Humperdinck, will be performed in English on a stage before an abbreviated orchestra, featuring several large instruments including a harp. The audience will be seated on risers and in the second story of Hansen, giving a birds-eye view of the orchestra and hand-crafted, spinning backdrop on stage.
Director of Opera Dr. Jennifer Schuetz will lead the opera performers with Director of Large Instrumental Ensembles Logan Campbell conducting the orchestra.
Schuetz said the show does not deviate much from the classic Brothers Grimm story, where two children become lost in the woods before encountering mythical creatures, a candy house and a hungry witch.
“It’s one of those shows that everybody knows the story to,” said Schuetz. “Anybody can enjoy the show, and it’s in English instead of the traditional German. The orchestra is right there on the floor, so you get engulfed by the music. It’s definitely an experience.”
The focal piece of the set is a rotating design with a forest scene on one side, and
the iconic candy cottage on the other. The set was constructed by a group of local
women — Liz McGinn, Karin Irving and Jenn Grant — who agreed to assist the opera program
with set design. Another community member, Jodie Slothower, provided multimedia assistance
with images projected on a screen behind the set.
The double cast includes Maia Hawksworth '26 as Hansel, Anna Noga '26 and Lucy Tester
'27 as Gretel, Sena Ntumy '25 and Reese Suddarth '27 as the Witch, Francesca Figueroa-Diaz
'26 as the Dew Fairy, Ashlyn Schnute '26 as the Sand Wizard, Dr. Michelle Vought as
the Mother, Christian Spear '25 as the Father, and Shayne Howe '28 in the children’s
choir.
“Most of the students in this show have never been in opera — maybe musical theatre in high school. They have heard opera recordings, but it’s very exciting that they get to ride on this incredible power of music,” said Schuetz. “The fact is, it’s difficult. But look at these students that learned how to sing and play this challenging music.”
There are a lot of misconceptions about opera, said Scheutz, and she is hopeful that audience members will come along for the ride, especially if they haven’t experienced it before.
“Opera is fun. Opera can be silly. This show is truly a pleasure for the ears,” she said.
A full list of upcoming performances through the School of Music may be found here.