Hansel and Gretel (1963 film) the sets but nevertheless called it "an extremely agreeable 90 minutes of tuneful make-believe" Hansel and Gretel (1963 film) Hansel and Gretel is a 1963 Australian TV adaptation of the opera "Hansel and Gretel" by Engelbert Humperdinck. It screened as an episode of "Wednesday Theatre" in 1966. It was an early role for Jackie Weaver who played Gretel and was aged 16; she had just appeared as Cinderella in a pantomime at Philip Street. Brian Gilbert, who played Hansel, was 13. The show was recorded during the visit to Australia of Australian conductor Charles Mackerras. He consducted the Sydney Symphony
Finnish opera Finnish opera The origins of Finnish opera can be traced to the late 18th or 19th century, when the first opera performances were staged in Finland. It is generally assumed that the first opera performance in Finland took place in 1768 in Turku, when the troupe of Carl Gottlieb Seuerling presented the opera "Adam und Eva" by Johann Theile. However other sources state that there was no orchestra at this performance. The first opera to be composed in Finland was Kung Karls jakt with music by Fredrik Pacius and a libretto by Zacharias Topelius. It was first performed in Helsinki