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Opera Orlando presents “Hansel & Gretel Into the Woods” at ACA
December 14, 2018
FREE for youth
Friday, December 14, 5 PM and 7:30 PM
Atlantic Center for the Arts 1414 Art Center Ave, New Smyrna Beach, FL 32168
TICKETS: FREE for youth under 18 years old | $25 for Adults
MORE INFO: operaorlando.org/han-gret
Opera Orlando’s Opera on the Mainstage series takes a trek “Into the Woods” as it tours a 60-minute version of Engelbert Humperdinck’s Hansel & Gretel. These run-out performances take the spooky fun and magic of the Dr. Phillips Center production and reduces it to focus on the family and their encounter with the lovably wicked Witch. Enjoy the antics of mezzo-soprano Sarah Purser and soprano Jillian Marini, who play Hansel and Gretel, as they lose themselves in the woods and stumble upon acclaimed tenor Jess Muñoz as the enticing but treacherous Witch, only to finally be reunited again with their worrisome parents, soprano Samantha Barnes Daniel and baritone Benjamin Ludwig. The Opera’s education and music director Robin Jensen conducts and provides piano accompaniment for these performances, with stage direction by Grant Preisser. These performances are designed as an introduction to the world of opera for children and youth across Central Florida, partnering specifically with organizations that cater to underserved populations: Big Brothers Big Sisters, New Hope for Kids, and Academy of Ability. Through a generous grant provided by the Winifred Johnson Clive Foundation, admission is free for anyone under 18 years old. “Hansel & Gretel is accessible to everyone. It really warms my heart to see all the kids in the audience taking in the sights and sounds of this magical show,” says tenor Jess Muñoz who became involved with opera as a member of Orlando’s previous company’s youth program. “When I was 10 years old singers from Orlando Opera visited my elementary school in South Orlando, and performed a one-act children’s opera entitled Sid the Serpent. I loved it so much that the next morning I made it a point to tell my parents I had decided I was going to be an Opera Singer.”
Audiences are in for a feast of gorgeous music, exemplary singing, and inventive storytelling, all aimed at engaging children in the excitement and fun of opera. “It is important for us to balance our season with productions that address all of our audiences from young to old alike,” states Robin Jensen. “It is equally important to build new and more diverse audiences for opera in the years to come.”
Tickets for Hansel & Gretel Into the Woods are free for youth under 18 years old and $25 for adults. Ticket and admission information can be found at OperaOrlando.org/Han-Gret, via email at info@OperaOrlando.org, or call (407) 512-1900.
For all other ticket information and more details, visit www.operaorlando.org; email info@operaorlando.org; or call (407) 512-1900.
Many thanks to our 2018-19 platinum and gold season sponsors: Fairwinds Credit Union, Sundance Printing, Managed Services Group, Orlando Health, Sunburst Shutters, Walt Disney World Resorts
About Opera Orlando: Where the City goes for Opera, Opera Orlando is now in its third full season of producing high-quality operatic entertainment and educational programs that engage Central Florida audiences.