Based on one of the best-loved stories by the Brothers Grimm, Hänsel und Gretel soon became one of the most-performed operas in the world and has remained enduringly popular with both children and adults ever since. This is the first production at the Wiener Staatsoper since World War II  – inventively staged by Adrian Noble, former artistic director of Britain’s Royal Shakespeare Company.

The secret of the lasting success of Hänsel und Gretel lies not only in the delicious thrills and spills of the familiar story but also in its magical musical mix of memorable folksong-inspired melodies and wonderfully rich and colorful orchestration.

In bringing the work back to the Wiener Staatsoper, German conductor Christan Thielemann particulary emphazises the musical echoes of Richard Wagner’s works in Humperdinck’s score.

The booklet contains extensive interviews with conductor Christian Thielemann and stage director Adrian Noble.

“musically exceptional (…) a miniature miracle in sound” - Wiener Zeitung

“Thielemann  polished all these moments with refinement and subtlety, inspiring the Staatsopernorchester to play with energy, engagement and transparence.”  - Opera Magazine

Cast:
- Peter, a broom-maker: Adrian Eröd
- Gertrud: Janina Baechle
- Hänsel: Daniela Sindram
- Gretel: Ileana Tonca
- Witch: Michaela Schuster
- Sandman and Dew Fairy: Annika Gerhards

Live from the Wiener Staatsoper, November 2015, video direction by Agnes Méth

Picture: 16:9 – NTSC
Sound: PCM Stereo, DD 5.1, DTS 5.1
Region code: 0 (worldwide)
Running time: 113 mins
Language: German
Subtitles: English, German, French, Spanish, Korean, Japanese