Nevada Chamber Opera captured an epic adventure with gingerbread men, a sinister witch and two lost children — it’s Hansel and Gretel, but inspired by 8-bit design and video games. Under the direction of Katherine Parker and conducted by Jason Altieri, this whimsical twist on Hansel and Gretel was brought to life.
From the very beginning, an eclectic and playful array of characters were showcased. The performance began with a tableau of the full cast of characters ranging from a bubbly fairy to a disgruntled mother looking for her two adventurous children. The orchestra prefaced the fairytale with music influenced by folk with a mystical tone. Magen Gauthier began her stunning performance as the mischievous Gretel and amazed the audience with her timbre and vocal range. Hansel, played by Alyson Debeien, portrayed the character like it was her own invention.
The German fairytale with Engelbert Humperdinck’s artistic depiction took a wild twist when the two children are tasked with embarking on a journey in the woods to collect berries for the household. At the end of Act One, they meet the mythical and iconic sandman, portrayed by Juliana Carmona, who makes her nurturing presence on stage using three orbs of light. The sandman is accompanied by an ensemble of woodland creatures, adding to the mythical nature of this old classic. Along the way, the children meet the whimsical Dew Fairy, played by Marlee Holsclaw. Holsclaw’s voice was cheerful, and she fostered a playful dynamic with Hansel and Gretel.
In Act Two, a comedically timed group of gingerbread men arrive on stage with the anticipated villain of this tale. The audience adored Amber Hurtado’s performance of the evil witch, and her portrayal was both comical and delightfully wicked. Hurtado embodied this character impeccably, with every shrill maniacal laugh and impressive melodic line.
UNR Opera’s depiction of Hansel and Gretel added an interesting twist to the century old tale alongside their incredible talent. Hansel and Gretel is a notable children’s classic, but to make this tale even more timeless, UNR decided to make the performance inspired by a video game adventure; a story everyone in the family could enjoy.
Xander Holcomb, portraying Peter, the father of the siblings, shares the opera’s vision and creative choices.
“Everyone knows the story of Hansel and Gretel, so it’s pretty easy to grasp,” Holcomb said. “I think UNR’s interpretation of it, doing it as a video game, makes it a little bit more relatable. Doing the 8-bit set makes it more accessible to people who wouldn’t normally go to opera.”
UNR reimagined a dark fairy tale with 8-bit set pieces and pixelated art on the programs. Costumes were also brilliantly crafted by Gene Brown to match the tone of this retelling. The witch’s team of gingerbread men were comically timed and emulated the quintessential image of the whimsical cookie character. Hansel and Gretel’s costumes were excellent for the setting of the 1800s.
Nevada Chamber Opera transformed a dark children’s fairy tale into a pixelated and even comedic story. The riveting scores and cast of dynamic vocalists created a memorable performance.
Opinions expressed in The Nevada Sagebrush are solely those of the author(s) and do not necessarily express the views of The Sagebrush or its staff. Kamryn Main is a student at the University of Nevada studying Journalism. She can be reached at emilyhess@sagebrush.unr.edu.
