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PORTLAND, ME – Hansel & Gretel, the Brothers Grimm fairy tale of two children left in the woods to fend for themselves, is familiar to children throughout Europe, the United States, and beyond. This year’s PORTopera mainstage production is the opera Hansel and Gretel – and in keeping with a children’s tale, PORTopera’s production will feature an International Children’s Chorus, dancers from the Portland School of Ballet and, to encourage families to attend, the Saturday July 31 matinee is $10 for anyone aged 12 and under, accompanied by an adult.
The International Children’s Chorus features middle school-aged children, selected by audition, from the greater Portland area. Children from a wide range of ethnic backgrounds are participating in this year’s chorus and have also been attending workshops on stage etiquette, the orchestra, and an introduction to the opera itself. Artistic Director Dona D. Vaughn said, “The Chorus members' costumes reflect their ancestry, making a visual statement about some of the issues that Hansel and Gretel face – hunger, fear of abandonment and loss – fears that are faced around the world.” For many of these chorus members, this performance marks their first appearance at Merrill Auditorium and is their first exposure to classical music and opera. Nell Shipman, Portland School of Ballet’s (PSB) resident choreographer, choreographed a dance for fourteen students ages 9-13 from the Portland School of Ballet, also selected by audition. The dancers will appear as angels, to protect and guide Hansel and Gretel when they are lost in the woods. These students have performed with PSB in their Year End Performance, Around the World with Flat Stanley, and in Portland Ballet Company’s The Victorian Nutcracker. “We want as many children as possible to experience this opera,” added Vaughn, “we know that this production explores the darker side of the story but one of the reasons these fairy tales have been popular for so long is for exactly the themes we are exploring, which have existed for centuries and unfortunately continue to exist.” In order to make the production accessible to as many as possible, anyone aged 12 and under, accompanied by an adult, can attend the Saturday, July 31 matinee for $10. Hansel and Gretel is supported in part by a grant from National Endowment for the Arts and sponsor Cloutier Direct, Inc. The Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram is the media sponsor. Performance dates are Thursday July 29 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, July 31 at 2:00 p.m. (matinee). Tickets are available at the PortTix box office (Monday – Saturday noon – 6 p.m.) , 20 Myrtle St., Portland, by calling 207-842-0800 or going online, www.porttix.com.
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