Peter, a broom-maker.
Gertrude, his wife.
Witch.
Hansel.
Gretel.
Sandman, the sleep fairy.
Dewman, the dawn fairy.
[Angels, witches, and fairies.]
The scene is laid in a German forest; time, the present.
The story of "Hansel and Gretel" is based upon one of Grimm's fairy
tales. The first act opens at the house of Peter, the broom-maker, who
with his wife is away seeking food. The children, Hansel and Gretel, have
been left with injunctions to knit and make brooms. Instead of working
they indulge in a childish romp, which is interrupted by the mother, who
has returned. In her anger she upsets a pitcher of milk, which was the
only hope of supper in the house. Thereupon she sends them into the
forest, and bids them not to come home until they have filled their
basket with strawberries. When Peter returns he brings provisions with
him, but breaks out in a fit of rage when he is informed the children
have been sent away, telling his wife of the witch who haunts the woods,
entices children to her honey-cake house, bakes them into gingerbread,
and devours them.
The second act opens with a characteristic instrumental number, "The
Witches' Ride." The children are disclosed near the Ilsenstein, making
garlands and mocking the cuckoos in a beautiful duet with echo
accompaniment. At last they realize that they are lost, and their
distress is heightened by strange sights and sounds. In the midst of
their trouble the Sandman approaches, strews sand in their eyes, and
sings them to sleep with a charming lullaby, after they have recited
their prayer, "When at Night I go to sleep, Fourteen Angels Watch do
keep." As they go to sleep, the fourteen angels come down and surround
them, while other angels perform a stately dance.
The third act is called "The Witch's House." The angels have disappeared,
and the Dawn Fairy wakens the children, singing a delightful song, "I'm
up with Early Dawning." Gretel wakes first, and rouses Hansel by tickling
him with a leaf, accompanying the act with a tickling song. When fairly
aroused, they discover the witch's house, with an oven on one side and a
cage on the other. The house is made of sweets and creams. Enticed by its
sweetness, the hungry children break off fragments, and are surprised at
their work by the old witch within. She comes out, and, after a series of
invocations, accompanied with characteristic music, prepares to bake
Gretel in the oven; but while she is looking into it the children push
her into the fire. Then they dance a witch waltz, and meanwhile the oven
falls into bits. Swarms of children rush round them, released from their
gingerbread disguise, and sing a song of gratitude as two of the boys
drag out the witch from the ruins in the form of a big cake. The father
and mother at last find the children, and all join in the pious little
hymn, "When past bearing is our Grief, God, the Lord, will send Relief."
It is only a little child's tale, but it is accompanied by music of the
highest order, and built up on the same plan of motives which Wagner has
used in his imposing Nibelung Trilogy.