The Hansel and Gretel Company

              THE CHAUTAUQUA MANAGERS ASSOCIATION


PRESENTS


The Hansel and Gretel Company


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C.M.A STANDARD




MANAGEMENT OF CHAUTAUQUA MANAGERS ASSOCIATION, Orchestra Building, Chicago





The Hansel and Gretel Company



THE children are rightfully demanding more and more attention upon the Lyceum and Chautauqua platform.  The Hansel and Gretel Opera is always a delight to children, and indeed the older folk are well entertained by it.  The 
Hansel and Gretel Company
 give a delightful presentation of this children's opera by Humperdinck.  Their program is what might be styled an opera-lecture-recital, given by Misses Lyravine Votaw, 
Hansel,
 Margaret Tarrant, 
Gretel,
 Alice Kent, interpreter, Martha Lathrop, pianist.  The excerpts from the scenes of the opera presented have been chosen with much care and arranged in a manner that enables one to enjoy to the full the many beauties of the score and text.  Miss Kent gives the story of the opera in a natural and intelligent manner.  Miss Lathrop at the piano throughout the evening, does most effective work.




Misses Votaw and Tarrant have excellent voices and are especially effective in the portrayal of the characters of 
Hansel and Gretel.
  They sing the music with great finish and understanding.  The songs and poses are given in an irresistible manner throughout.  Their acting is natural and unaffected and they looked like 
Hansel and Gretel.
  It is well worth a special effort to see and hear them in Humperdinck's opera.




H. W. P.



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In addition to this special program the Company is prepared to give programs of varied nature, either for full programs of for preludes.





Hansel and Gretel Company



It is more essential that one should receive an unbiased description of just what a program consists than that a host of clippings should be presented, hence we print below an exceptional account of the presentation of the little opera in Austin, Ill.  The account appeared in the Austinite, March 12, 1915.





HANSEL AND GRETEL



Interpretations of Fairy Opera given at Woman's Club —Nomination of Officers Next Week




The interpretation of Humperdinck's charming fairy opera, 
Hansel and Gretel,
 by Margaret Tarrant, soprano; Lyravine Votaw, contralto; Alice Kent, interpreter; Margaret Lathrop, accompanist, was given under the auspices of the music department of the Woman's Club of Austin at the meeting held Monday in the Masonic temple, Mrs. M. V. Hinshaw, department chairman, presiding.




The children's Christmas pageant held December 28, was given under the auspices of the music department, at which time all business was postponed till the present meeting, March 8.




The minutes of the last two meetings were read and approved, and various business and social announcements made by the following ladies:  Mesdames Carpenter, Ranstead, Gibson, Floto and Felthousen.  After which the platform was turned over to the artists for the afternoon.




Miss Lathrop opened the program with the overture from Humperdinck's fairy opera, 
Hansel and Gretel.
  The very winsome and charming Miss Kent interpreted the fairyland setting and characters, Old Peter, the broommaker, and Gertrud, his impatient wife, with their two children, Hansel and Gretel, first seen industriously working and singing old German nursery songs.  Thru hunger and restlessness they soon leave their work and with wrangling and romping incur the wrath and displeasure of their mother, who in punishment sends the children to the woods to gather strawberries for food.




The next scene shows the children singing to the birds and responding to the beauties of nature in dance and song until night falls upon them and the sandman sprinkles dust on their lids, but before they close their eyes they sing their evening prayer (one of the most beautiful parts of the opera).  They soon fall asleep in the leaves and the guardian angels step down the heavenly ladder to guard their sleep.




In the third act, morning dawns and the crystal drops are showered on the children by the Angel of Dew.  Gretel wakes her sleepy brother with a burst of song.  They are both bewildered by the entrancing dream of the beautiful angels that each has had (this affords a beautiful blending of their voices).  They suddenly discover the wonderful house on the hill made entirely of candy and sugar and all good things to eat, with which the much dreaded witch of Crunch entices and finally imprisons the now thoroughly frightened children.




The last act shows the children finally succeeding in shoving the dreadful old witch into the very oven in which they were to have been baked, and all the 
gingerbread children
 come back to life; when great is the joy of Peter and Gertrud at finding their children safe and happy with food in plenty and good fortune for all.




These scenes give splendid dramatic opportunity for displaying the timbre and resonance of tone in the artistic blending of the voices, and the entertainment was enjoyed by one of the largest audiences of a season of splendid programs and large crowds.




The social hour which followed the close of the program was in charge of the following ladies:  Mesdames Algeo, Amerson, Ayers, Bortree, Biederstadt, Brady, Blayney, Campbell, Cutting, Didier, Faulkner, Hollinghausen, Haines, Klebo, McLean, Pole, Rhuel, Worswick.




March 15, 2 p. m., regular club meeting for nominations for officers and directors (no guests).




CORA ELLA WRIGHT, Department Secretary.




Hansel and Gretel 3






Condensed Press Comments



Miss Margaret Tarrant and Miss Lyravine Votaw gave excerpts from 
Hansel and Gretel
 before the Woodlawn Woman's Club at the Annual Children's Day.




It was artistically and beautifully given, well received by the Club, and heartily enjoyed by the children.




To me, the president of the club, it was especially attractive, because it gave the children a vivid glimpse of the opera, the story of which they love, but are too often prevented from seeing on account of the prohibitive prices.




MARTHA M. BAY, 
Pres. Woodlawn Woman's Club, Chicago.




Hansel and Gretel
 was charmingly given by Miss Votaw and Miss Tarrant at one of the concerts of Miss Cathcart's Opera Interpretation course at Bethany Union Church, Tracy.  Several scenes were given intact as they require only the two singers and little scenery.  The costumes were very attractive and the acting was splendid.  The voices blend perfectly and the voice work was especially artistic in The Prayer.


Interpretation Class, Tracy, Ill.




At the concert given under the auspices of the Bohemian Settlement Choral Club, Miss Lyravine Votaw and Miss Margaret Tarrant gave a delightful rendition of Humperdinck's Fairy Opera 
Hansel and Gretel,
 in costume.  Miss Tarrant made a delightful 
Gretel
 and Miss Votaw's 
Hansel
 captured all our hearts.




HELEN I. DUNCAN 
Head Resident.




Miss Lyravine Votaw appeared on this occasion in Saint Saens' 
O Love Thy Aid
 from 
Samson and Delilah.
  Her friends were charmed with the vigor and force, compass and flexibility and poise of her performance.  Her very low tones have a richness and breadth not often heard anywhere.  Upon recall she sang with spirit, Schumann's 
The Soldier's Bride.


The Mt. Carroll (Ill.), Democrat.




Miss Margaret Tarrant appeared also in two groups of songs and displayed a soprano voice of such remarkable beauty and such utter clarity as would seem to place her in a thoroughly limited class.  Her quality and the manner in which she produces her tones is very much like that of Madam Lipkowska, of the Boston Opera Company, and it is evident Miss Tarrant will reach a high place in the local field


Music News, Chicago.





The program at the Woman's Society of the Second Congregational church on Tuesday proved all that was anticipated.  It was the rounding up of the year's work and better reports have never been turned in.  Total benevolences, aside from running expenses, amount to $2,200 for the year, with a large enough balance in the treasury for expenses during the summer months and to increase its offering by $50 to one of its pet charities, the Elizabeth Charlton Day Nursery, this amount to go toward the new home.


Two hundred and twenty-eight were served to a fine luncheon in the dining room, bright with spring blossoms.



The afternoon program was planned as a treat and relaxation and well fulfilled its mission.



It was the choicest extracts from Humperdinck's opera, 
Hansel and Gretel,
 presented by four young ladies.



Miss Margaret Tarrant took the part of Gretel.  She has a beautiful clear, flexible, soprano voice and used it as an artist.  She was a very dainty little actress and in her quaint costume and wreath of wild flowers made a very pretty picture—so natural and unassuming that it took no stretch of the imagination to fit her to the part.



Miss Lyravine Votaw, contralto, as Hansel, made a very sturdy, picturesque lad.  Her rich, full notes blended so well with Miss Tarrant's that the duet parts were especially beautiful and effective.



Miss Alice Kent, as interpreter, won every heart through her personality and winning voice.  As a story-teller she is certainly a success.



Miss Martha Lathrop, with the instincts of a true accompanist, blended her work so into the parts that at no time did she make herself conspicuous.  Her opening number proved her ability as a soloist, however.  Nothing but praise was heard for the production and the afternoon program came to a close all too soon.



Oak Leaves, Oak Park, Ill.



Hansel and Gretel 4




HILLISON & ETTEN CO. CHICAGO.