Sarasota Opera opens its fall season with “Hansel and Gretel,” and this production is unlike anything the local arts community has staged before. It marks the first mainstage collaboration between Sarasota Opera, Sarasota Orchestra, the Ballet and Conservatory, and the Youth Opera — all four flagship organizations working as one.
The Humperdinck classic hasn’t appeared on a Sarasota stage in 16 years. Maestro Anthony Barrese, who conducted the 2010 production, returns to the podium. He describes the score as some of the most deeply complex music he’s ever worked on, comparing moments to a Brahms symphony. Onstage, women sing both title roles: Kerrigan Bigelow as Gretel and Kara Morgan as Hansel, with a children’s chorus joining for the finale when the young characters break free of the witch’s spell.
Performances begin at 7 p.m., a start time chosen with families in mind, and family pack discounts are available at sarasotaopera.org. Whether you’re an opera regular or have never set foot in a theater, this is a rare chance to see the Suncoast’s arts groups share one stage. Planning to go? Tell us in the comments.
