A Bronx treasure at Hofstra

For 45 years the Bronx Opera Company has enthralled audiences throughout the metropolitan area with its creative stagings of both lesser-known and popular operas, sung in English, with a full orchestra. For over 10 years, Bronx Opera has embraced the Long Island community through its second home of sorts — at Hofstra University.
The opera company returns to Hofstra’s John Cranford Adams Playhouse with its annual spring production this weekend, Engelbert Humperdinck’s fairy tale opera, “Hansel & Gretel,” on May 18 and 19.
Based on the classic story by the Brothers Grimm, this opera was originally written by the German composer Humperdinck as a gift to his sister’s children (the libretto was, in fact, written by his sister Adelheid Wette). It was first performed in 1893, just prior to Christmas Eve.
The traditional elements of this beloved tale are all there in this traditionally staged production, as audiences follow the famed mischievous brother and sister into Ilsenstein forest and meet the echoing trees, the little Sandman, the 14 angels of protection, the little Dew Fairy, and emerge in front of the enormous gingerbread house and meet the evil Rosine Leckermaul (“Rosina Tastymuzzle”), and the evil witch that turns children into gingerbread.
Filled with parables about family life and struggles that ring true today, Hansel & Gretel is a delight for any age, says Jennifer Caruana, who plays Hansel on Friday night. The mezzo-soprano, who grew up in Rockville Centre and graduated from South Side High School in 1995, says, “There is a lot to it.” It’s a very inspiring story as Hansel & Gretel work together to defeat the witch.”
“It’s really a crazy show, two kids are thrown out of their house by their mother, and have to pick berries in the woods, get lost and then are attacked by a witch. There are a lot of psychological implications. Our director, Benjamin Spierman, has done a wonderful job of understanding the minds of two 10-year-olds wandering in the woods.”