Hansel and Gretel (opera) Hansel and Gretel (opera) Hansel and Gretel (German: ) is an opera by nineteenth-century composer Engelbert Humperdinck, who described it as a "" (fairy-tale opera). The libretto was written by Humperdinck's sister, Adelheid Wette, based on the Grimm brothers' fairy tale "Hansel and Gretel". It is much admired for its folk music-inspired themes, one of the most famous being the "" ("Evening Benediction") from act 2. The idea for the opera was proposed to Humperdinck by his sister, who approached him about writing music for songs that she had written for her children for Christmas based on "Hansel and Gretel".
Gretel II yacht "Australia" won the right to challenge but lost to the Americans. Decades later, after falling into disrepair, "Gretel II" was restored by a group of yachting enthusiasts in 2009. She is currently in a private marina at Pyrmont, Sydney, Australia. Gretel II Gretel II (KA-3) is an Australian International 12-metre class racing yacht built for the America's Cup challenge series in 1970. She was designed by Alan Payne and built by W.H. Barnett for Australian media tycoon Sir Frank Packer. Packer had first challenged for the America's Cup in 1962 with the yacht "Gretel", which was named after his