Postcard from San Francisco Conservatory of Music's Hansel & Gretel
This week’s postcard features Heather Mathews and Curt Pajer from San Francisco Conservatory of Music and one of our Level IV choristers, Francisca Li on their upcoming production of Hansel & Gretel, premiering this week at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music on November 18 and November 19 at 7:30pm.
Experience a fairy-tale opera based on the classic Grimm brothers story “Hansel and Gretel.” Heather Mathews, Chair of Opera and Musical Theatre, directs this production, while Curt Pajer conducts.
HEATHER MATHEWS, ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR AND CHAIR OF OPERA AND MUSICAL THEATRE
How did you become a musician and stage director?
I began performing in my school choir as well as playing the violin when I was in 3rd grade. I come from a very artistic family and music was always going on in out house. I gave up the violin after 6 years after I realized that if I concentrated on singing, I didn’t have to carry my violin around. When I was in high school, I started to really work on my vocal technique. When it came time to decide on where I was going to go for college, I knew I wanted music to be what I did for a living so I decided and was accepted to the San Francisco Conservatory of Music. After 25 years in this profession, it was the best decision I ever made.
What has been your favorite performance or work in your career?
As a director, I put my soul into every production and now having directed well over 150 productions, each one finds its way into my heart as a favorite. I have directed Hansel and Gretel 14 times now so it is definitely on my list of all time favorites.
What can audiences take from the story of Hansel and Gretel?
For most of us, we come to the theatre knowing the storyline of the Hansel and Gretel fairytale. In this version, I really wanted to concentrate on what it feels like to be so hungry and what happens when a lack of food is the only thing Hansel and Gretel can think about. In this version the whole opera takes place on the shelf of a pantry and there is a reference to food in every scene. Food as home, food as comfort, food as a gift, food as love.
What has this performance process been like as you prepare for the show?
This is the first opera with live singing and a live orchestra since the beginning of the pandemic for SFCM. We are all so thankful to be making music together. Everyone’s spirits are very high. The casts are doing a wonderful job and I could not be more proud of our entire team.
What song or scene are you most excited about in this production?
I love when the Witch makes her first appearance. It is the moment that children in the audience get very excited about. But in terms of beauty, the prayer Hansel and Gretel sing before they fall asleep in the forest is some of the most beautiful music in all of opera.
Who or what is your ideal collaboration?
I am so excited we at SFCM are bringing the amazing young artists from SFGC onto our stage for this production! The young singers are so talented and add the perfect touch to this show.
Why is it important to continue practicing music and have online performances in this time of pandemic?
I think we all realized how dependent we are on the arts in times of stress. Streaming has allowed us to keep bringing our art to our audience.
Is there anything you would like to add? Especially about the work with our choristers?
A special thank you to Elaine, Tonia and all the staff at SFGC. They have been a joy to work with.
CURT PAJER, MUSICAL AND MANAGING DIRECTOR OF OPERA
Curt Pajer
How did you become a musician and conductor?
I've been playing the piano since I was a kid, and I got involved in opera because I liked working with singers and enjoyed music that had words. I realized I wasn't cut out to spend hours in a practice room all alone, and I wanted to work with other people, so I started playing recitals for all my singer friends in college. I got involved in conducting after working for lots of opera companies as a rehearsal pianist.
What has been your favorite performance or work in your career?
I can honestly say that this production of Hansel and Gretel is probably the most fun I've ever had conducting. The cast and orchestra, and of course the SFGC, are wonderful and the orchestration is beautiful. It truly feels like a guilty pleasure, and I'm so happy this is my first live performance since before COVID.
What can audiences take from the story of Hansel & Gretel?
It's a story that most people already know, and the original Grimm fairytale is quite dark. Even though the opera is much lighter and fun, it's much more than a fairytale. The orchestration is similar to those huge operas by Wagner and Richard Strauss.
What has the performance process been like as you prepare for the show?
We just smile all the time because it's so much fun. And we're still experiencing the joy of rehearsing together in the same room since two years ago!
What song or scene are you most excited about in this production?
The whole piece is wonderful, but in addition to the singing it also has an overture and orchestral interludes that are a lot of fun to conduct!
Hansel and Gretel
Who or what is your ideal collaboration?
I still do play the piano quite a bit, and I had the pleasure of playing a recital this past summer with renowned opera star soprano Lisette Oropesa. That was also my first time playing the piano in public since COVID, so it was extra special.
Why is it important to continue practicing music and have online performances in this time of pandemic?
I think the pandemic itself has proven how important the arts, music in particular, are for all of us. We will continue to stream performances on line, but the biggest thrill will be having a live audience.
Is there anything you would like to add? Especially about the work with our choristers?
I had my first rehearsal with the choristers yesterday, and they were so well prepared and sang so beautifully. And they followed my conducting like true professionals.
FRANCISCA LI, LEVEL IV CHORISTER
Francisca Li
What song or scene are you most excited about in this production?
I am most excited for the ending scene of the show when we all come on stage as the Gingerbread Children. This scene is exciting because it is the happy ending to the story where the evil witch is vanquished and the children (us) who she had captured are freed and saved. Also Hansel and Gretel are finally reunited with their parents. Moreover, this scene is where all of our singing is, and it is just so full of energy, dancing that it's just such a nice way to end the story.
What does it mean to be performing at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music?
After not being able to actually perform, much less in physical productions for the past year and a half, it is such a great and exciting opportunity to be performing at the SF Conservatory of Music.
What can audiences take from the story of Hansel and Gretel?
I think this story conveys the message that you should not trust strangers, but in situations that may seem bleak, stick with your family or those that you love and the day will hopefully end just even just a little bit happier, or more hopeful than it started.
What has the performance process been like as you prepare for the show?
The process for preparing for the show has been fairly simple, for a few weeks every Friday leading up to the staging rehearsals, we would have a half-hour rehearsal where we worked on learning the music that we sing at the end of the show as the Gingerbread Children. Then starting at Kanbar at our monthly Level 4 Saturday Rehearsal at the beginning of November we started learning the staging, before finally coming to the Conservatory this week for our last rehearsals and then the performances.
Hansel and Gretel