Nazareth College Opera Workshop presents Hansel and Gretel

Jan 24-26, February 1, new collaboration with The Lyric Theatre

Rochester, NY (01/16/2020) — Witches and magical gingerbread houses come to life in Engelbert Humperdinck's Hansel and Gretel, presented by the Nazareth College Opera Workshop. Performances will be held January 24 and 25 at 7:30 p.m. and January 26 at 2 p.m. in Beston Hall in the Jane and Laurence Glazer Music Performance Center at Nazareth College; and February 1 at 2 p.m. at The Lyric Theatre in downtown Rochester. All performances are free and open to the public.

Based on the classic fairy tale by the Grim brothers, the story follows siblings Hansel and Gretel as they find a gingerbread house and table laid with scrumptious sweets in the woods. However, nothing is what it seems as they soon discover in this opera performed in English. As part of a partnership with The Lyric Theatre in downtown Rochester, the performances will feature a premier youth group, The Lyric Voices.

"We are thrilled that this production includes students from different programs, including music performance, music theatre, music business, music therapy, music education, and other arts programs," said Katie Hannigan, assistant professor of voice and coordinator of vocal studies at Nazareth College. "The Opera Workshop is a wonderful opportunity for our students to grow as performers."

Hansel and Gretel is directed by Emily Cuk, an Eastman School of Music graduate, with music direction by Nazareth's Dr. Kevin Nitsch and Nancy Strelau. Brenna Griggs serves as the graduate assistant for the production. Julie Welch has assumed the role of assistant director for the production and alumna Rachel Hall is stage manager.

THE CAST
Nazareth College has a wide array of students involved in this production including music education, music therapy, BA music majors, Vocal Performance majors, Master of Music in Performance and Pedagogy, and many more. The production allows for double-casting, and covers, featuring McKenzie Rybka and Lindsey Puc (Hansel), Brooklyn Church and Morgan Beaton (Gretel), Serafina Sortino (Gretel cover), Emily Kielbasinski (Mother), Brandan Parks and LaMont Haywood (Father), Sophia Mostafa and Sierra Taylor (Sandman), Tessa Hildreth and Haley Brunstad (Dew Fairy), and Kara Smith (Witch).

Tickets and more/info: Tickets are free for this event. No advanced reservations are required. Visit https://www2.naz.edu/events/5031/ for more information.

ABOUT
The Nazareth College Arts Center has been Rochester's premiere performing arts center for world-class music, theatre, dance, and family entertainment since 1967. The Arts Center serves as a venue and educational resource for students, educators, artists, and audiences of all ages to create, study, and experience the visual and performing arts. The live performances of the Arts Center Series provide area residents with opportunities to engage with touring artists from across the country and around the world. The K-12 school performance series serves over 10,000 students each year with content-rich experiences that augment classroom learning. The Departments of Art, Music, and Theatre and Dance present exceptional productions, recitals, and exhibitions, which are open to the public, while preparing students for successful careers in arts-related fields.

The Nazareth College Arts Center's 2019-20 season is sponsored by The Max and Marian Farash Charitable Foundation and M&T Bank.

Media please note: High-resolution photos are available here.

Interviews and photo/footage opportunities may also be arranged. Contact Michelle Shippers, Marketing and Publicity Manager at 389-2093 or mshippe0@naz.edu.