Sinfonietta Bel Canto putting on ‘Hänsel and Gretel’ for the holidays

Posted October 15, 2026 8:44 pm

By Stephen Thurlow, Sinfonietta Bel Canto

Sinfonietta Bel Canto will present Engelbert Humperdinck’s beloved fairy-tale opera “Hänsel and Gretel” with two performances in November.

Enter a world where a handful of magic, a brave brother and sister, and a gingerbread house lead to an unforgettable adventure. The heartwarming opera is filled with playful melodies, enchanting orchestral colors, and a story audiences of all ages know and love.

Humperdinck (1894-1920) was a German composer who studied in Munich and taught music before becoming known for his operas. “Hänsel and Gretel” began as songs he wrote for a family puppet show, based on a libretto by his sister, Adelheid Wette. The work grew into a full opera and premiered in Weimar on Dec. 23, 1893, and conducted by the young Richard Strauss.

Lead singers for this production include Gretel —Jennifer Tzu-Jung Wang (Nov. 15) and Anna Maria Noga (Nov. 22); Hänsel — Emily Warren; Witch — Amanda Caban; Father — Pierrick Hanlet; Mother — Jacqueline Gargiulo; Dew Fairy — Diana Whitcomb; and Sandman — Sarah Kelder. Sinfonietta Bel Canto’s artistic director and music director Dan D’Andrea is joined by the VH Dance Center artistic advisor Rachel Quinn and choreographer/director Bryn Michaels. VH Dance Center in Aurora includes classes for all levels and ages in classical ballet as well as a variety of other styles of dance.

A beloved holiday classic for generations, Hänsel and Gretel invite audience of all ages to discover courage, family, and wonder in the heart of the forest.

Performances will be at 4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 15, at St. Paul’s United Church of Christ, 5739 Dunham Road in Downers Grove; and 4 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 22, at Hinsdale United Methodist Church, 945 S. Garfield St. in Hinsdale. Tickets in Downers Grove are $25, $22 for seniors; tickets in Hinsdale are $30 and $27. It is $8 for students.

SBC operas are staged, accompanied by orchestra, with action, props, costumes, etc., as well as sung in the original language, with projected English translation (see the website for links to opera videos).

For tickets, go to sinfoniettabelcanto.org (PayPal or credit card). Pick up your online purchased tickets at the box office on the day of the performance. Or buy tickets at the box office (unless sold-out) with cash, check, PayPal, or credit card. Parking is free and there is ample intimate seating.

Sinfonietta Bel Canto has a strong and vital history of sharing opera and chamber orchestra music with audiences in the western suburbs.

This program is partially supported by grants from the Arts of DuPage, Downers Grove Rotary Fest, the Illinois Arts Council Agency and National Endowment for the Arts.