Hansel and Gretel in martini-Park: A Fairy Tale Comes to New Life
Date and Time
Location
Price
About this Event
Mood
Venue Type
Hansel and Gretel: A Musical Fairy Tale Between Factory and Enchanted Forest
When the first notes of Engelbert Humperdinck's Hansel and Gretel resound in martini-Park on December 1, 2026, a familiar fairy tale meets Augsburg's industrial past. The Augsburg State Theatre presents Aldona Farrugia's new production as a colorful music theater for young and adult audiences.
From the Everyday Life of Textile Work to the Fairy Tale Forest
The dramaturgy creates an unusual bridge between the world of Grimm's fairy tales and Augsburg as a historical textile city. Hansel and Gretel work alongside their parents in a textile factory before they end up in the forest and encounter mysterious dangers. The historical dye tower, a distinctive monument of Augsburg's textile industry, served as the inspiration for the scenic design.
Thus, a journey emerges from the poverty of everyday life into a world where fear, imagination, and sibling solidarity are closely intertwined. The production preserves the fairy-tale tension while simultaneously giving the well-known material a concrete social and regional anchor.
The Orchestra Becomes Part of the Stage Space
A special attraction of this production lies in the visible presence of the orchestra. The Augsburg Philharmonic sit on stage, thus becoming an integral part of the set design. For the audience, an immediate stage experience arises: music, singing, and scenic movement merge before the eyes of the spectators into a vibrant theater atmosphere.
The musical direction is taken over by Sebastiaan van Yperen. Humperdinck's late-Romantic sound language combines folky melodies with colorful orchestral poetry and grand operatic gestures. Especially in the shortened version, the dramaturgy unfolds concentrated and clear.
A Witch with Wit and a Direct Connection to the Audience
The gingerbread witch does not appear solely as an embodiment of evil. Aldona Farrugia portrays her as a prominent theater figure who drives the plot and particularly involves young spectators. Playful elements, imaginative costumes, and the connection between historical working life and the present give the stage art a light, accessible note.
The main roles are played by members of the opera ensemble: Natalya Boeva as Hansel, Jihyun Cecilia Lee as Gretel, Sally du Randt as the Witch, Shin Yeo as Father, and Kate Allen as Mother. Stage and costumes are provided by Dorota Karolczak and Gisa Kuhn, while the lighting design is by Moritz Fettinger.
80 Minutes of Music Theater Without a Break
The Augsburg production tells Humperdinck's opera in a 80-minute shortened version without a break. This keeps the stage action tight and the fairy-tale tension maintains a clear rhythmic flow. The result is a pre-Christmas music theater experience that unites classical opera, family stories, and fairy-tale imagination.
Conclusion: Visitors can expect an atmospheric opera evening with a visible orchestra, colorful staging, and a contemporary perspective on a familiar fairy tale. Those who want to experience Hansel and Gretel as a grand stage experience between social reality, musical magic, and playful imagination should not miss this performance in martini-Park.
Official Channels of the Augsburg State Theatre:
- Instagram: no official profile found
- Facebook: no official profile found
- YouTube: no official profile found
- Website: https://staatstheater-augsburg.de
