HANSEL & GRETEL SYNOPSIS
Composer: Engelbert Humperdinck and Adelheide Wette

ACT I — At Home
Hansel is making brooms and Gretel is knitting socks (Susie, little Susie). Hansel complains of being hungry but Gretel makes a game of sweeping his complaints out the door. Gretel shows Hansel some milk that a neighbor has given to them for supper. Gretel reminds him that they must get back to work. Hansel mentions the word "dancing” and forgets about his work (Brother come and dance with me). Gretel is caught in the dance and both stop working to play. This is interrupted by Gertrude, their mother. The children try to explain why they've done very little work. In her anger, Gertrude accidentally spills the milk and chases the children out to pick strawberries. The children's father, Peter, appears seemingly joyous. Gertrude suspects drinking, but Peter begins pulling food from his basket. Gertrude tells him of the spilled milk and dancing incidents. Peter asks where the children are and Gertrude tells him she sent them out to pick strawberries in the woods. Peter warns of the dangers of the witch and after being convinced the children are in real danger, Gertrude and Peter run out of the house to find them.

ACT II — In the Forest
Hansel is picking strawberries and Gretel is making a garland of rosehips. Together, they sing a folksong (There stands a little man). A cuckoo begins singing with them and they make a game of the cuckoo's habits, like stealing strawberries. During this game, they discover that they've eaten every single strawberry. Hansel admits that they are lost. Mist begins rising in the forest. The Sandman appears and sprinkles his sleeping dust into the children's eyes. The children sing their Evening Prayer (Now I lay me down to sleep). A dream sequence begins with 14 angels appearing to guard the sleeping children.

ACT III — The Witch’s House
The Dew Fairy awakens the children. Gretel awakens and turns to wake Hansel. They compare the dreams they had of 14 angels watching over their sleep. The morning mist clears to reveal the gingerbread house. The children are delighted with their discovery, unaware that the Witch is sneaking up from behind. The Witch throws a noose around Hansel's neck. Hansel slips out from the noose and tries to escape with Gretel, but the Witch casts a spell on them. The Witch puts Hansel into a cage, hoping to fatten him up, and tells Gretel to go set the table (Gretel is already plump enough for cooking). The Witch is delighted with her new dinner "guests” (Hurrah hopp hopp). As the oven burns hotter, the Witch becomes more and more excited. Gretel manages to break free of the spell and releases Hansel. The Witch tells Gretel to check the oven, but Gretel feigns stupidity and tricks the Witch into looking into the oven herself. Hansel and Gretel shove the Witch into the oven. The Witch's oven explodes and all the gingerbread figures are transformed into dead children waiting for Hansel and Gretel to touch them to bring them back to life. Peter and Gertrude arrive to witness Hansel and Gretel's triumph.