Hansel and Gretel Comes to Marin Center

Marin's own Golden Gate Opera presents its beloved production of Engelbert Humperdinck's Hansel and Gretel at the Marin Showcase Theatre in San Rafael on Friday, October 25 at 7 pm and Sunday, October 27 at 2 pm.

This operatic version of the Brothers Grimm story (by the 19th-century German composer, not the '60s singer…) is a favorite of families worldwide and tells the story of the two young title characters who stumble upon the witch's gingerbread house while lost in the deep dark woods. This production will be sung in English and is a perfect introduction to opera for kids ages 3 and up.

Hansel and Gretel has been popular with both adults and children since its premiere in 1893, and is often performed around Christmas—but of course with its wicked witch it's perfect for the Halloween season! Hansel and Gretel's memorable music, like the beautiful "Evening Prayer," is influenced by both traditional German folksongs and the works of Humperdinck's mentor, composer Richard Wagner.

Golden Gate Opera's Hansel and Gretel is directed by international opera star Edna Garabedian and features a professional cast including Alexandra Jerinic (Hansel), Suzanna Mizell (Gretel), Roberta Wain-Becker (the Wicked Witch), and others. Children from the SingersMarin Youth Choruses will appear in the roles of gingerbread cookies and the guardian angels who protect Hansel and Gretel at night in the forest.

We got a chance to catch this performance last season and our whole family really enjoyed it. The setting of Marin Center's Showcase Theater is intimate, the performances by the talented singers are wonderful, and it moves along at a good pace to keep the little ones entertained.

Tickets are $35–45, children (15 and under) pay only $15. For more information and tickets visit www.marincenter.org or www.goldengateopera.org. You can also order tickets by calling Marin Center Box Office at (415) 473-6800.