"Hansel and Gretel" at the Stuttgart State Opera: Something is wrong there

Created: 2022-02-07 17:29

By: Markus Thiel

Beware of the weird old woman with the concrete hairstyle: Hansel (Ida Ränzlöv, right) and Gretel (Josefin Feiler) are seduced by the witch (Rosie Aldridge).

© Matthias Baus

Normally he brings opera to the stage with loving anarcho charm.

With Humperdinck's "Hansel and Gretel" in Stuttgart, Axel Ranisch remains surprisingly well-behaved.

Nevertheless, the evening is entertaining and child-friendly.

Mom and Dad can save themselves the outraged call to the Stuttgart Opera.

The guys in red overalls, booked here as bodyguards for the resolute witch aunt, may have escaped from the Netflix series "Squid Game".

But no competition among the precariat, no tug-of-war or marble game for which the loser is killed: the guys remain an equipment gag.

An additional gloom that you don't have to fear any more than the rest of the performance - even if the weird old woman with the concrete hairdo maintains a children's processing machine.

The thing punches the offspring into octagonal "biscuits" that are suspiciously reminiscent of the "Dalli Dalli" equipment.

Axel Ranisch, cinema and TV director ("Big Girl", "Tatort: ​​Babbeldasch") with an idolatrous love of opera, only wants to play here.

In general, the expert for frizzy opera hybrids - just think of Haydn's "Orlando Paladino" at the Bavarian State Opera - is surprisingly well-behaved.

Humperdinck's "Hansel and Gretel" in Stuttgart, that's two hours very suitable for children.

Clearly and understandably rolled up, with an experienced eye for the scene, screamed, but without that gag fireworks, without that anarcho charm, for which Ranisch was celebrated in about the same place with Prokofiev's "Love for the Three Oranges".

"Hansel and Gretel" in the context of climate change

Perhaps the Berliner's pedagogical streak also shines through.

You don't have to expose children to image overkill for them to understand.

And so the multi-generational audience tends to be fobbed off with current affairs such as climate change.

In the great video by Philipp Contag-Lada, you glide through a forest of sequoias to the overture.

But suddenly there are oil drums, and in the end the forest is on fire.

In general, a lot of things play out between metal pipes and overturned machine parts (stage: Saskia Wunsch): The company "Schlickermäulchen", as it is emblazoned above the witches' company, actually becomes a retro colorful refuge.

Ranisch only touches on some things, including the existence-threatening poverty of his parents.

The lively performance operates under the motto "Something's not right here", offers small disruptive maneuvers in the idyll instead of disturbing.

Above all, however, it is a substitute production.

In 2017, the Stuttgart-based company actually wanted to place "Hansel and Gretel" in the hands of director Kirill Serebrennikov.

But he had just been arrested in his Russian homeland.

An obviously politically motivated process.

Serebrennikov, then in house arrest with shackles, was only able to complete one film for Stuttgart, which was shown as part of a semi-concert performance.

At some point the theater maker, who has been allowed to leave the country for a few weeks, should complete Humperdinck am Neckar.

Nothing came of it, for whatever reason.

Fidel evening with small barbs

His deputy Axel Ranisch, who staged himself into music theater at the Bavarian State Opera, is also working on another hit at the same time.

His "Rigoletto" was supposed to be released in Lyon two years ago and had to be canceled a few hours before the premiere for well-known reasons.

This Verdi will be made up there in mid-March – but surprisingly no longer operates as a co-production with Munich.

Ranisch's Humperdinck direction in Stuttgart is clearly designed as a long seller, as a jolly evening with small barbs.

If you want, you can recognize yourself in the siblings: Ida Ränzlöv is a very excited, carefree Hansel with a slim, austere mezzo.

Josefin Feiler, on the other hand, is sensible as Gretel, (also vocally) sensitive – and she can turn her soprano to a remarkably high level.

This is also necessary because conductor Alevtina Ioffe loves the hearty, opulent with the Stuttgart State Orchestra.

It is played with the desire for a big break, a few times the soloists mutate into a sound accompaniment.

So you hear that Humperdinck is a master student of the Bayreuth house god – right down to the obtrusive Wagnerei.

With Catriona Smith (mother) you learn a lot about the social drama of the play, Shigeo Ishino is a very youthful, vocally carefree father.

As expected, Rosie Aldridge cleans up as a witch.

Although she is never seen as a grotesque old woman, rather as Dame Edna's cousin.

In addition, so much is spoiled, this Swabian businesswoman is allowed to survive - albeit under less than dignified circumstances.