Opera in German were usually based on stories from Germanic or Arthurian legend. Finally, Wagner built his own opera house at Bayreuth, exclusively dedicated to performing his own works in the style he wanted. Wagner's innovations cast an immense shadow over subsequent composers, who struggled to absorb his influence while retaining their own individuality. One of the most successful composers of the following generation was Humperdinck, whose "Hänsel und Gretel" (1893) still has an assured place in the standard repertoire. Humperdinck turned back to folk song and the tales of the Brothers Grimm for inspiration. Yet, though "Hänsel" is often viewed as the
Hansel and Gretel: An Opera Fantasy is among the productions documented through correspondence, contracts, financial records, promotional materials, reviews, and scripts. RKO heavily promoted the film in time for the 1954 Christmas season. There was $10 million worth of tie-ins, including candy, clothing, figurines and toys. The film has been released on VHS, CED videodisc, and DVD. The VHS and CED videodiscs contain the original title. The DVD was released on October 30, 2001 with the modified title of "Hansel and Gretel: An Opera Fantasy". An LP of the film's soundtrack was released in 1955 under the label "X" RCA, in 1959 under the label RCA