Feb. 18, 2019

Contact Stephanie Harter-Campbell at 417-499-9213 or slharter@viterbo.edu

VITERBO UNIVERSITY TO PRESENT ENGELBERT HUMPERDINCK’S CLASSIC OPERA HANSEL AND GRETELMARCH 2–3

LA CROSSE, Wis. – The Viterbo University music department will present Engelbert Humperdinck’s classic opera Hansel and Gretel Saturday, March 2–Sunday, March 3 at the Weber Center for the Performing Arts.

The Viterbo production of Humperdinck’s opera is based on the Brothers Grimm timeless fairy tale—and delivers a timely message. 

“We all know the original story of how Hansel and Gretel became lost in the haunted forest and were taken in by the evil Gingerbread Witch,” said Stephanie Harter-Campbell, Viterbo faculty member and director of the production. “We’ve updated the story to highlight the issue of human trafficking. This is not the fairy tale that everyone is used to. We want everyone to be entertained and enjoy the beautiful music and wonderful production values of the opera, but we also hope the audience takes away increased awareness of today’s growing human trafficking problem.”

The 90-minute opera, sung in English, is Harter-Campbell’s first main stage production at Viterbo. Now in her second year at the university as an adjunct instructor, she previously directed opera scenes for the Music Department. Formerly from New York, she had toured nationally with Broadway productions. 

“The reasons for selecting Hansel and Gretelinclude the timeless nature of the story,” she said. “Another reason is that the principal cast of seven people—six women and one man—allows us to showcase so many of our talented female students.”

Hansel is played by Faith Bartelt and Gretel by Leah Wons. Drew Larson and Libby Sorenson play Mom and Dad, and Alex Burch takes on the Witch, now Trafficker. 

It is estimated that 40 million persons, including children, are trafficked into various forms of slavery each year. The Viterbo production of Hansel and Gretel explores the trust issue and illustrates how traffickers operate by gradually building trust as they ensnare their victims.

“There is a real educational message built into this opera appropriate for adults and mature teenagers; because the average age children are abducted by traffickers is 13 years old, we do invite 10-12 year olds, but recommend parental guidance as the production explores these sensitive topics and mature themes. Producing this opera at Viterbo has also been a very educational experience for me relative to the trafficking issue.”

Hansel and Gretelis part of Viterbo University’s Bright Star season and is sponsored by The Lukasek Family Endowment Fund. Production materials are used by arrangement with European American Music Distributors LLC, sole U.S. and Canadian agent for Schott Music, publisher and copyright owner. The production features music by Engelbert Humperdinck, original text by Adelheid Wette, English translation by Cori Ellison, and critical edition materials by Hans-Josef Irmen.

Performance times are 7:30 p.m. Saturday, March 2 and 2 p.m. Sunday, March 3. Tickets are $24 for main floor and $21 for balcony seating. For tickets, contact the Viterbo box office at 608-796-3100 or visit www.viterbo.edu/tickets.

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