A Trip to the Opera

Our delightfully-dressed-up entourage.

"What's the difference between recitative and aria?" The students in my Music Appreciation class were able to answer this question after an outing to the Freiburg production of Engelbert Humperdinck's Hansel and Gretel. Students spent two class periods before the trip listening to the overture (melody highlight reel) and acting out the plot line for Humperdinck's little masterpiece.

Check out a fun interactive (and shortened) version of the opera on USC's nonprofit radio website: Hansel & Gretel.

Theater Freiburg is playing Wagner's Ring Cycle this month as well. We opted for something a little lighter.

The class-voted most surprising event of the evening was realizing the witch was played by a man. (They had been mercifully prepped for Hansel's part being played by a woman). The famous duet prayer "Abends will ich schlafen geh'n" (definitely click & go listen to that one) was a highlight and all decided it was entirely too short!

And while many had gone on the optional field trip to hang out with their friends, more than a couple were pleasantly surprised by this mythical beast called opera. One was even overheard to have said, "I may have actually enjoyed that." Mission accomplished.