Lize Thomas as Hänsel and Anina Wasserman as Gretel

RELATED LINKS: Theatre HOMEGROWN South African theatre is alive and well, as evidenced by the myriad productions staged at the National Arts Festival in Grahamstown in July each year. Many of these travel the country afterwards, often ending up at Johannesburg's famous Market Theatre in the Newtown cultural precinct, or at the Civic Theatre in Braamfontein. Read more This week in Joburg OUTDOOR adventure, heritage, family treats, new art or museum shows, follow Lucille Davie's weekly selection of the most interesting city activities. Read more Pro Musica opens winter season A SEASON of musicals, concerts, opera and comedy is on the diary this winter, all from the team at Pro Musica Productions. Read more Israeli maestro back in Joburg ONCE again Roodepoort's Pro Musica Theatre is featuring performances by the Israeli pianist and conductor Ilan Rogoff. Read more Orchestra turns 21 - let the celebrations begin THE PRO Musica Orchestra has come of age - and it plans to celebrate in a big way! Read more

Sibongile Khumalo sings the role of the witch

Fairytale run at Pro Musica THE opera of popular German fairytale Hänsel und Gretel is on at the Pro Musica Theatre, with a special children's show in the mornings. November 9, 2005 By Buhle Makabane THE opera Hänsel und Gretel, based on the ever-popular tale of the boy and his sister who get caught by an old witch who wants to cook them up and eat them, is on at the Pro Musica Theatre, in Roodepoort. But all is not lost, and there is a happy ending when the children overcome the witch's evil spells. The opera, by German composer Engelbert Humperdinck, is based on the story by the Brothers Grimm and was first staged in 1893. "This production is a challenging one technically - with witches flying across the stage and ovens exploding - to name but a few," says Pro Musica's public relations and marketing co-ordinator, Cecile Doubell. "It really does provide fantastic entertainment combined with the most beautiful music for young and old - and not just for children." Adding flavour to the fairytale are the voices of well-known opera singers Sibongile Khumalo, Anina Wassermann, Lize Thomas and Otto Maidi. Music is by the Pro Musica Orchestra with conductor Weiss Doubell, and Hans van Heerden as the director. Lyrics are in German, with English subtitles. Thomas and Wassermann sing the roles of Hänsel and Gretel. There is a special treat planned for children in the mornings, with the production Hansel and Gretel/Hansie en Grietjie, courtesy of Pro Musica Productions and Speelkas Kinderteater. Information about the children's plays, performance times and language of presentation of each show is available from Computicket, as are tickets. Tickets are R20 for school blockings, R25 for children and R40 for adults. Opera tickets are available at Computicket, for R70 and R120, or call Graham on 011 672 2217. Discounts are available for students, pensioners and scholars. Hansel und Gretel runs from Tuesday, 8 November until Saturday, 19 November. Pro Musica Theatre is a Pro Musica Productions unit; other components are Pro Musica Opera Chorus, Pro Musica Company and Pro Musica Orchestra. Doubell has been the director since its formation. Permission to use web site material Publishers may use material from this site free of charge, as long as: Credit is given to either the "City of Johannesburg website (www.joburg.org.za)" or to "Johannesburg News Agency (www.joburg.org.za)"; If the article is used online, a link is provided to the original article on this website; The name of the article's author is acknowledged; The webmaster is informed of how and where the material is used (fill in this brief online form). Johannesburg News Agency is operated by BIG Media at 011-484-1400 Print this Page E-mail this article to a friend Help using Joburg.org.za