Hansel and Gretel An Opera by Engelbert Humperdinck

Synopsis • A synopsis is a brief summary of the plot of a story • If you had to sum up the story of “Hansel and Gretel”, what would you say?

Setting/Where/When • Setting- The Black Forest • Where- Southwest Germany • When- 19 th Century

Characters • Hansel • Witch • Gretel • Angel • Mother • Dew Fairy • Father • Sandman

Problem • Hansel and Gretel are punished and sent into the woods where an evil witch lives that bakes children into gingerbread!

Action • Father and Mother go off in the forest to look for Hansel and Gretel

Solution • Hansel and Gretel escape doom by shoving the evil witch into the oven, and baking her!

PLOT- Act 1 Hansel and Gretel are caught dancing and singing by their mother As a punishment, they must go to the woods to collect berries Father is terrified angry when he tells mother of a witch that lives in the woods who bakes children into gingerbread to eat!

PLOT- Act 2 • Hansel and Gretel lose their way in the forest as night falls • The Sandman, and Angels appear to protect them from harm as they sleep • The Dew Fairy awakens them in the morning when they stumble upon a Gingerbread house!

PLOT- Act 3 • Hansel and Gretel begin to eat the Gingerbread house that belongs to the witch! • The witch feeds the children to fatten them up, and puts Hansel in a cage • Hansel and Gretel escape and push the witch into the oven to bake her! • Father and Mother are reunited with the children