Hansel and Gretel (1963 film)

Hansel and Gretel
Starring Jackie Weaver
Distributed by ABC
Release date
 13 October 1963
28 December 1966 (repeat)
Running time
 60 mins[1]
Country Australia
Language English

Hansel and Gretel is a 1963 Australian TV adaptation of the opera Hansel and Gretel by Engelbert Humperdinck.[2]

It screened as an episode of Wednesday Theatre in 1966.[3]

Cast

  • Brian Gilbert as Hansel (to the voice of Marilyn Richardson)
  • Jackie Weaver as Gretel (to the voice of Janet Rutledge)
  • Justine Rettick as the Witch
  • Nita Maughan as the mother
  • Russell Smith as the father
  • Margaret Moray as the dew fairy (sung by Chesne Ryman)
  • Ngaire Thomson as the Sandman (sung by Diane Holmes)

Production

It was an early role for Jackie Weaver who played Gretel and was aged 16; she had just appeared as Cinderella in a pantomime at Philip Street. Brian Gilbert, who played Hansel, was 13. The show was recorded during the visit to Australia of Australian conductor Charles Mackerras. He consducted the Sydney Symphony Orchestra while the opera was videotaped.[1]

Reception

Sydney Morning Herald commented on the limitations of the sets but nevertheless called it "an extremely agreeable 90 minutes of tuneful make-believe"[4]

References

  1. 1 2 "Two Teenagers in Opera". Sydney Morning Herald. 7 October 1963. p. 20.
  2. ↑ "WEDNESDAY". The Canberra Times. 41, (11, 569). Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 26 December 1966. p. 12. Retrieved 23 March 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
  3. ↑ "TV Guide". Sydney Morning Herald. 26 December 1966. p. 9.
  4. ↑ Opera Review: TV Hansel and Gretel, Sydney Morning Herald 14 October 1963 at Google News Archive


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