Music Department Student Showcase Oct. 26

It all began as a familyproject.

In 1890, Adelheid Wettewrote a short play, based on the fairy tale Hanseland Gretel, as Christmas entertainment for her children. Sheenlisted her brother, the composer Engelbert Humperdinck, to write music.

Three years later, thisstory of a brother and sister, written by brother and sister, had grown into afull-length opera. Humperdinck’s friendRichard Strauss conducted the (non-living room) world premier. By 1895, Hansel and Gretel had traveled to morethan 50 theaters across Europe. It has remained a holiday staple ever since.

At 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct.26, the Department of Music in Arts & Sciences will present an excerpt fromHansel and Gretel as part of its fallStudent Showcase.

The concert, presented inconjunction with Parent’s and Family Weekend, is free and open to the public and takesplace in in the E. Desmond Lee Concert Hall of WUSTL’s 560 Music Center.

Alsoon the program will be Sonata for oboe and piano (1921) by Camille Saint-Saëns;Five Bagatelles for clarinet andpiano (1945) by Gerald Finzi; and Leyenda for solo guitar (1892) byIsaac Albeniz.

Other works will include JosephHaydn’s String Quartet Op. 74 No. 2 (Allegrospiritoso) from 1793; Antonín Dvořák’s Slavonic Dances Op. 46 for four-handpiano (1878); and Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Etude-TableauOp. 33 No. 8 for piano (1911).

The 560 Music Center islocated at 560 Trinity Ave., in University City. Formore information, call (314) 935-5566 or e-mail daniels@wustl.edu.