Children's opera

Engelbert Humperdinck's masterpiece Hansel & Gretel was put up by the Drama Troupe in collaboration with the Ian Tomlin School of Music at Napier University, Edinburgh.

When composing this work Humperdinck was following a strong tradition of German opera in which supernatural themes were handled. He was however the first to give the genre weight by translating the qualities of Wagnerian opera to the fairytale and adapting such qualities to ensure greater popular appeal through the inclusion of German folk music.

Humperdinck wrote the work after a period of time assisting Wagner in Parsifal, and it was his friend Richard Strauss who directed the première of his successful first opera. The work had been commissioned by his sister who had adapted the Brothers Grimm's popular story to create a children's play.

Drama Troupe's choice to produce this opera was a bold one, but one that was appropriate due to the opera's association with children, falling in line with this drama school's firm belief in the importance of experiencing theatre for the more holistic education of children. The appropriateness of the choice is also related to the company's association with the Ian Tomlin School of Music at Napier University, Edinburgh. This led to the involvement of youths studying music at degree level under the direction of their tutors who on coming to Malta performed alongside younger performers from the Drama Troupe company. Musical director Kenneth Dempster and voice tutor Joan Busby contributed to the production through their coordination and preparation of instrumentalists and vocalists at the Edinburgh end.

Mr Dempster also participated in the actual performances by directing the quintet of instrumentalists - Veronique Zammit (piano), Jennifer Mckay (horn), Justyna Joblonska (cello), Jennifer Cochrane (clarinet) and Jonathan Law (viola) - who together produced a generally good and secure reading of the score both in the purely instrumental parts of the work and when providing support for the vocal complement of the opera.

Mezzo-soprano Clare Ghigo as Hansel, soprano Francesca Aquilina as Gretel, Cliff Zammit (tenor) who played the part of Rosina Sugarface (a role normally performed by a mezzo), mezzo-soprano Vanessa Camenzuli and baritone Kevin Caruana, respectively Gertrude and Peter, together with soprano Nicola Said as Sandman/Dew Fairy all gave valid musical contributions to the production and showed talent and competence in these early stages of their musical careers.

They were all very well prepared and sang competently. Most also combined this with effective acting that contributed to the overall success of the performance.

Vocal tutoring at the Malta end was competently provided by Gillian Zammit, who apart from assisting the soloists also prepared the children's chorus that was complemented by the contribution of performers playing the roles of cats and other animals, angels, gingerbread children and dancers choreographed by Theresa Lungaro Mifsud. All elements involving cast and crew, including production, stage management and design, effectively came together under the direction of Lorraine Aquilina who, drawing on several years of experience, again managed to create something valid largely through the involvement of children and youths who have undoubtedly been enriched by this experience.

The performance, though essentially a school production, was of a good standard in every respect. It was accessible and flowed well, and certainly revealed the hard work, coordination and commitment of all contributors, adults and children alike.

Such initiatives are certainly commendable as educational and cultural experiences that form children and youths more holistically, and one looks forward to other activities that engage children and youths in the appreciation of culture in its widest sense.