Gretel

Gretel (Humperdinck: Hänsel und Gretel). Soprano. Daughter of Gertrud and Peter and sister of Hänsel. As there is no food to eat, she and her brother are sent by their mother to pick strawberries in the forest. They become lost and frightened. They are put to sleep by the Sandman and watched over by angels. When they wake they see a gingerbread house and fence. They taste it and are captured by the Witch, who puts Hänsel in a cage. Gretel rescues him and pushes the Witch into the oven. The oven explodes and the gingerbread fence becomes a row of children who have been captured and baked by the Witch. Duet (with Hänsel): Abends wenn ich schlafen gehn (‘In the evening when I go to sleep’). Created (1893) by Marie Kayser (who took over the role at very short notice - see Hänsel).