Hansel and Gretel (opera) After several revisions, the musical sketches and the songs were turned into a full-scale opera. Humperdinck composed "Hansel and Gretel" in Frankfurt in 1891 and 1892. The opera was first performed in Hoftheater in Weimar on 23 December 1893, conducted by Richard Strauss. It has been associated with Christmas since its earliest performances and today it is still most often performed at Christmas time. "Hansel and Gretel" was first conducted in Weimar by Richard Strauss in 1893, followed by its Hamburg premiere on 25 September 1894, conducted by Gustav Mahler. Its first performance outside Germany was in Basel, Switzerland, on
Hansel and Gretel: An Opera Fantasy performance, RKO Radio Pictures acquired the film for wide release for the Christmas season. The film was sold to television four years after it was released, where it became a Christmas season tradition on several affiliate stations. In 1959, at the second annual Grammy Awards, conductor Franz Allers was nominated for the soundtrack in the category of "Best Recording for Children". The film was re-released theatrically in 1965 through New Trends Associates, and in March 1973 through MGM. The title was modified to "Hansel and Gretel: An Opera Fantasy" beginning with the 2001 DVD release. In 1952, Evalds Dajevskis began