AN OPERA will be in Pembrokeshire for one night only later this month!

Mid Wales Opera will be bringing its touring production of Hansel and Gretel to Milford Haven’s Torch Theatre on Thursday, March 16.

There will be some special guests taking part in the production – as children from the Limelight School of Performing Arts will join the cast on stage.

The production is based on Humperdinck’s 19th century opera Hansel and Gretel, which itself draws inspiration from the Brothers Grimm fairytale.

Attendees will follow the titular children as they are banished to the enchanted woods by their hungry and frustrated mother. Their father returns home and finds out about his children being banished, revealing to their mother the terrors of the gingerbread witch.

The children lose their way and stumble into the clutches of the witch, who aims to fatten them up to turn into gingerbread.

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Jonathan Lyness, Mid Wales Opera’s music director, said: “Originally a simple setting for children of our folksongs from Grimm’s tale, the composer expanded the work into the fully-fledged opera we know today.

“It occupies a unique sound world, full of rich lyricism and a melodic appeal that ties the music directly to folksong, within which the children’s adventures are brought vividly to life.

“The composer Richard Strauss declared the opera a masterpiece, conducting its first performance in 1893, and the work has been a mainstay of opera houses worldwide ever since.”

It is the first time Mid Wales Opera has performed the production and it is directed and designed by Mid Wales Opera’s artistic director Richard Studer. It is sung in English by a cast of eight professional singers from translations carried out by David Pountney.

The score is performed by Ensemble Cymru, partner to Mid Wales Opera, and is conducted by Jonathan Lyness, who created a new orchestration.

Mid Wales Opera’s Hansel and Gretel is suitable for ages eight and over and will be at the Torch Theatre on Thursday, March 16 at 7pm. Tickets cost £22.50 for adults, £20.50 for concessions and £9 for U26 and can be bought from www.torchtheatre.co.uk or by calling 01646 695267.

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