Georgia’s Koberidze lands lead role in Hansel and Gretel opera in Italy

A Georgian singer is preparing to make her debut in the Hansel and Gretel fairytale opera at a prestigious Italian opera house; but she won’t be singing in the chorus – she has landed herself a leading role.

Twenty-seven-year-old Sofie Koberidze will perform the role of Hansel in Engelbert Humperdinck's  Hansel and Gretel fairytale opera at the Royal Theatre (Reggio Theatre) of Turin, Italy on May 8-12.

The mezzo-soprano announced her selection as Hansel on her official Facebook page on April 17, where she also posted a photo of her boyish costume.

The idea to turn the well-loved fairytale into an opera was proposed to Humperdinck by his sister in the early 1880s – she approached him about writing music for songs that she had written for her children for Christmas, based on the Hansel and Gretel fairytale, originally written by the Brothers Grimm in 1812.

After several revisions, Humperdinck’s musical sketches and the songs were turned into a full-scale opera. Humperdinck’s opera was first performed in Germany in 1893.

The story of Hansel and Gretel is about a young brother and sister threatened by a cannibalistic witch who lives deep in the forest in a house constructed of cake and confectionery. The two children save their lives by outwitting the witch.

Meanwhile, this will not be the first time Koberidze has performed on an Italian stage.

From 2010 to 2013 she studied at the Vincenzo Bellini Conservatory in Catania, Sicily. While there she competed successfully in several Italian singing competitions. Furthermore, while in Italy she also performed the role of Maddalena in Verdi’s Rigolettoat the Luigi Pirandello Theater in Agrigento, Sicily.

The Georgian singer started her musical training in 1994, and received a diploma in piano in 2001.