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    Opera and Ballet Stories in Music    

Lesson 5: Hansel and Gretel - Act 2, Scenes 2 - 3

by Engelbert Humperdinck

Performer: Charles Kaufmann


DRAMATIS PERSONAE.

Peter, Broom-maker.

Gertrude, his wife.

Hansel, their son.

Gretel, their daughter.

The Witch who eats children.

Sandman, the Sleep Fairy.

Dewman, the Dawn Fairy.

Children.

The Fourteen Angels.



ACT II. SCENE II.

SANDMAN (the Sleep Fairy).

(The little man approaches the children with friendly gestures, and the children gradually calm down. He is strewing sand in the children's eyes.)

I shut the children's peepers, sh!

and guard the little sleepers, sh!

for dearly do I love them, sh!

and gladly watch above them, sh!

And with my little bag of sand,

By every child's bedside I stand.

then little tired eyelids close,

and little limbs have sweet repose.

And if they're good and quickly go to sleep,

then from the starry sphere above

the angels come with peace and love,

and send the children happy dreams,

while watch they keep!

Then slumber, children, slumber,

for happy dreams are sent you

through the hours you sleep.

(Disappears. Darkness.)



HANSEL (half asleep).

Sandman was there!



GRETEL (ditto).

Let us first say our evening prayer.

(They cower down and fold their hands.)



BOTH.

When at night I go to sleep,

fourteen angels watch do keep:

two my head are guarding,

two my feet are guiding,

two are on my right hand,

two are on my left hand,

two who warmly cover,

two who o'er me hover,

two to whom 'tis given

to guide my steps to Heaven.

(They sink down on to the moss, and go to sleep with their arms twined around each other. Complete darkness.)



ACT II. SCENE III.

(Here a bright light suddenly breaks through the mist which forthwith rolls itself together into the form of a staircase, vanishing in perspective, in the middle of the stage. Fourteen angels, in light floating garments, pass down the staircase, two and two, at intervals, while it is getting gradually lighter. The angels place themselves, according to the order mentioned in the evening hymn, around the sleeping children. The first couple at their heads, the second at their feet, the third on the right, the fourth on the left, the fifth and sixth couples distribute themselves amongst the other couples, so that the circle of the angels is completed. Lastly the seventh couple comes into the circle and takes its place as "guardian angels" on each side of the children. The remaining angels now join hands and dance a stately step around the group. The whole stage is filled with an intense light. Whilst the angels arrange themselves in a picturesque tableau, the curtain slowly falls.)

    Opera and Ballet Stories in Music    

Lesson 5: Hansel and Gretel - Act 2, Scenes 2 - 3

by Engelbert Humperdinck

Performer: Charles Kaufmann

Directions

Study the musical selection for one week.

Over the week:

  • Read the synopsis.
  • Review any vocabulary terms.
  • Read about the composer.
  • Complete the enrichment activities.

Synopsis

The little man is the Sandman, and he sings Hansel and Gretel to slumber. Half-awake the children recite their evening prayer and sink down on the moss in each other's arms. A dazzling light appears, the mist rolls itself into a staircase, and angels glide down the steps to encircle the two sleeping children. [1].

Vocabulary

Sandman: A legendary figure who is said to bring good sleep and dreams by sprinkling sand into people's eyes.
Peepers: Eyes.
Cower: To crouch or cringe in fear.
Twine: The act of winding or twisting together.
Guardian Angel: An angel who watches over and protects a particular person.
Libretto: The text of a dramatic musical work, such as an opera.
Librettist: The author of a libretto.

Composer

  1. Engelbert Humperdinck was born in 1854 in Siegburg, Germany. Examine his picture.
  2. Zoom in and find Humperdinck's country of birth on the map of Europe below.
  3. Humperdinck took piano lessons starting at a young age and wrote his first composition at the age of seven.
  4. Humperdinck's parents disapproved of his music aspirations, wanting him to become an architect.
  5. Humperdinck persevered, earning a scholarship to study music and eventually becoming a music professor at the Hoch Conservatory in Frankfurt, Germany.
  6. Humperdinck died at the age of 67 after suffering two heart attacks.

Enrichment

Activity 1: Recite the Opera Information

  • Recite the name of the composer, the name of the opera, and the act and scene(s) of the opera.

Activity 2: Recite the Dramatis Personae

Read aloud the Dramatis Personae.

  • Peter, Broom-maker.
  • Gertrude, his wife.
  • Hansel, their son.
  • Gretel, their daughter.
  • The Witch who eats children.
  • Sandman, the Sleep Fairy.
  • Dewman, the Dawn Fairy.
  • Children.
  • The Fourteen Angels.

Activity 3: Listen to the Opera While Reading the Text

  • Select roles to read as desired.
  • Play the opera music softly in the background.
  • Read aloud the scene according to your selected roles.

Activity 4: Narrate the Lesson

  • Narrate the lesson events aloud in your own words.

Activity 5: Examine the Musical Score

  • A musical score is the written form of a musical composition showing all instrumental and/or vocal parts.
  • Examine the page from the musical score of 'Hansel and Gretel.'
  • On which instrument was this music written to be performed?

References

  1. 'Metropolitan Opera House Grand Opera Libretto Hansel und Gretel - A Fairy Opera in Three Acts by Adelheid Wette (CC0 1.0)' Archive.org. https://archive.org/details/hnselgretelfai00humpuoft/. n.p.

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