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Hansel & Gretel
12 - 20 December 2025
Albert Hall, Yarralumla
This December 2025, join National Opera at Albert Hall for a spellbinding production of Engelbert Humperdinck’s beloved opera, Hansel and Gretel! National Opera invites families to immerse themselves in this enchanting tale, beautifully brought to life through stunning visuals, captivating performances, and the rich, melodic score that has charmed audiences for generations.
As the enchanting story unfolds, you'll be swept along with our mischievous siblings as they adventure through the forest all the way to the witch’s delicious gingerbread house. Bringing it all together is a talented local cast that will transport you into a world of magic and wonder. Experience the joy of laughter, the thrill of adventure, and the warmth of family love in this delightful opera that promises to captivate audiences of all ages.
Cast and Creatives
Gretel | Elsa Huber Elsa completed her Bachelor of Music (Classical Vocal Performance) and Bachelor of Arts (International Communication) at the ANU in 2022, graduating with the Myrtle Thomas Scholarship, the Peter & Lena Karmel Anniversary Prize in Music, the Marjorie M. Kingston Prize for Creative Leadership in Music, and the Bill Hyslop Prize for Voice. A 2025 Emerging Artist with The Song Company and the recipient of the Capital Arts Patrons’ Organisation’s 2024 Tall Foundation Award, she has performed in National Opera Canberra’s Suor Angelica (La Suora Infermiera), The Elixir of Love Pocket Opera (Gianetta), Die Zauberflöte Pocket Opera (Second Spirit) and La Clemenza di Tito (chorus). Since early 2024, Elsa has sung with Igitur Nos Chamber Choir and Orchestra, including featuring as a soloist and chorister in their performances of Bach’s Easter and Ascension oratorios, as well as Fauré’s Requiem. Her other performance credits include Cole’s Opera Salon’s Glorious! A Handel Celebration, Castrato, La serva padrona (Serpina), Handel’s Crusade [Rinaldo] (Almirena) and Dido & Aeneas (Second Woman/First Witch), Pacific Opera Studio’s Mozart Requiem, Don Giovanni Pocket Opera and St Paulus (chorus), Canberra Symphony Orchestra’s St John Passion and Messiah (chorus), Sydney Chamber Opera’s Victory Over the Sun (chorus), Luminescence Chamber Singers’ Magnificat and their 2022 and 2021 Luminous Christmas concerts, and as a soloist for the Revisit Yesteryear @ Laggan festival, The Llewellyn Choir, The Canberra Times 2023 Carols by Candlelight, and Canberra Community Chorale. Elsa was also a 2021 – 2023 Wesley Music Scholar, and has sung with the Choir of St Paul’s, Manuka, since early 2024, including featuring as a soloist and chorister in their performances of Haydn’s Jugendmesse and Kleine Orgelmesse.
Hansel | Teresa Wojcik Her performances described as ‘compelling and beautiful in equal measure’, Teresa Wojcik is a Lyric Mezzo-Soprano with Coloratura. After graduating from the University of Otago in 2013 with a Bachelor of Music, studying Classical Singing under Judy Bellingham, Terrence Dennis, Frances Wilson and Judith Henley, she moved to Germany and worked with the OpernRetter, a travelling Opera company which toured central Europe. Since moving to Canberra, she has featured in several National Opera productions as the ‘Mistress of the Novices’ in Suor Angelica (2024), the ‘Marquis de Cascada’ in Merry Widow (2024), and understudied ‘Octavian’ in Der Rosenkavalier (2025). Teresa has a large vocal studio based in Canberra, and thanks Liane Keegan and Karen Vickery for their invaluable ongoing support of her artistic development.
The Witch | Alira Prideaux Local Canberra resident and long time performer, Alira was a standard music theatre kid until the age of 16 when she was gently told she was too operatic and directed away from Music theatre. She then did the sensible thing and studied undergraduate and post graduate opera performance at the Canberra School of Music, then moved interstate to pursue singing. After performing in an eclectic range of vocal opportunities that taught Alira the value of versatility, she moved home and put singing on the back burner as she focussed on motherhood and teaching. Alira was lured out of her comfortable life several years ago now and is very much back in the world of singing and performing. In 2024, Alira sang the role of ‘Valenciennes’, in National Opera’s The Merry Widow, Sister Dolcina in ‘Suor Angelica’ and recently featured in National Capital Orchestra’s Broadway concert. Alira is also in demand for concerts, private and public events and apparently when anyone wants ‘Glitter and be Gay’ to be sung. Previous credits include many musicals, soloist roles in a number of oratorio’s and the The Carmina Burana, Madame Goldentrill in Mozart’s The Impresario, Adele in Die Fledermaus, another Performance run as the role of Valenciennes, sporting events, dinner theatre, Parliamentary National anthems and performance at the Sydney Opera house.
Mother | Emma Mauch Emma Mauch, Canberra born and based soprano, is a graduate from the West Australian Academy of Performing Arts where she performed the roles of Helena in Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Madame Lidoine in Poulenc’s Les Dialogues Des Carmelites and Angela in the Australian opera Love Burns by Graeme Koehne. Emma has performed in numerous operatic productions within Australia and the United Kingdom. Her productions with the West Australian Opera chorus include, Peter Grimes, Carmen, Madama Butterfly and Aida. In 2013 she had the pleasure of working with Grange Park Opera, Hampshire in their summer festival productions of I Puritani and Onegin. Since returning to Australia, Emma has worked with Opera Australia in their productions of Madama Butterfly (2015) and Carmen (2017.) She has most recently performed as a soloist for the Opera Gala in 2022. She is thrilled to be working with National Opera in her home town.
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Father | Andrew Barrow Andrew studied Performance Arts at the University of Music of Wollongong with Lotte Latukefu and Classical Voice at the Australian University School of Music. Andrew has appeared on local stages in concerts, events and productions for over 15 years. He has starred in all of Canberra Opera’s productions from 2017-2019; Die Fledermaus, Cosi Fan Tutte and Cavalleria Rusticana. Andrew appeared in the chorus for National Opera's premier opera, La Clemenza di Tito and was a soloist in both their pocket opera versions of Die Zauberflöte and Le Nozze di Figaro. He also appeared in National Opera's chorus for Alcina and The Merry Widow. He's also appeared as a soloist for the Llewellyn Chior and Art Song Canberra. 2025 includes the role debut of Aeneas for the Canberra Qwire.
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Sandman & Dew Fairy | Keren Dalzel-Woodlock Keren holds a Bachelor of Music (Classical Voice) from the Australian National University and is a versatile performer in classical voice, opera and musical theatre. Keren has performed a variety of roles: Armida in Rinaldo (Cole’s Opera Salon), Fiordiligi in Cosi Fan Tutte (National Opera, Canberra Opera); the Attendant in Susanna and Israelite Woman in Esther (Handel in the Theatre); Madame Hertz in The Impresario (Canberra Opera, Art Not Apart Festival) and South West Opera Workshop), 2018; Rosalinde in Die Fledermaus, Musetta in La Boheme (Canberra Opera); Cis, Albert Herring, Spring in Dido and Aeneas and the Female Owl in Grim and the Blue Crown Owl (The Street Theatre); Pierrot in Oh! What a Lovely War (Canberra Repertory Society); featured roles in Wicked and Mary Poppins (Free-Rain Theatre). Keren was a participant in the Tyrolean Opera Program in Austria (2014).
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Director | PJ Williams PJ Williams is an Actor and Director. In 2008 he received the MEAA Actors Equity award for Professional Practice and in 2016 and 2018 Canberra Critics Circle Award for his performances in Faithful Servant and Diary of a Madman. PJ recently received another Critics Circle Award 2024 for his performance in Crime & Punishment for the Street Theatre Canberra. Acting credits include: Waiting for Godot, The Plan & Other Plans, Crime and Punishment, White Rabbit Red Rabbit, Twenty Minutes with The Devil, A Doll’s House - Part 2, The Diary of a Madman, The Faithful Servant, The Chain Bridge, Under One Roof, Six Pack, Breathing Corpses, The Give and Take, Without Prejudice. TV credits include appearances in: Home & Away; All Saints, Always Greener; and Tricky Business plus numerous commercials. Directing credits include: Grimm & The Blue Crown Owl (opera); Laurie & Shirley (a play in verse); Lies, Love & Hitler; and War of The Worlds as well as a number of new works developments. In 2025 he will direct the opera of Hansel & Gretel for the National Opera Company. PJ has performed corporate role-play for a wide range of clients including Peers & Players, The Cranlana Project, John Curtin School of Medicine, TIEinteractive and ML Complex Adaptive Systems. PJ was a co-founder of ImproACT. PJ is also a voice-artist with many government and commercial credits. He has also served as a board member of the National Folk Festival (2013-23) and The Street Theatre Canberra (2003-07). PJ has been a proud member of Actors Equity (MEAA) since 1989.
Conductor | Leonard Weiss
Répétiteur | Vivienne Winther Vivienne Winther began her professional career as a repetiteur with the original Canberra Opera. On moving overseas to a position at the Hong Kong Academy of Performing Arts, Vivienne was studio accompanist for the great Australian mezzo Margreta Elkins, and repetiteur for the Academy’s Graduate Opera program, preparing several fully-staged operas each year. Returning to Canberra, she was Artistic Director of Stopera from 1997 to 2011, and played a leading role in the production and performance of many notable opera and concert events for the company, including 15 Australian premieres. In 2005, she was named The Canberra Times Artist of the Year, for her vision and achievement in gaining national and international recognition for opera in the ACT. In 2012, she was appointed Director of the Macquarie Conservatorium in Dubbo, part of the network of NSW Regional Conservatoriums. She has recently returned home to Canberra and is busy teaching piano, coaching singers and accompanying. Vivienne has appeared in concert for the National Gallery of Australia, Canberra International Music Festival, Sydney Schubert Society, and as a recording artist for ABC Classic FM. Vivienne has accompanied and coached singers from Opera Australia, Victorian State Opera, Beijing Central Opera and Cologne Opera.
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Chorus Master | Callum Tolhurst-Close Callum is in demand as a musical director, conductor, repetiteur, collaborative artist and soloist, and has performed across Australia and internationally. Highlights include broadcasts on ABC Classic FM and ArtSound Canberra, world premieres of new music and significant recording projects, such as Max-Peter Meyer's Dunera Mass, now in the permanent collection of the State Library of NSW. Callum studied a Bachelor of Music (Honours) in Pipe Organ performance and holds performance diplomas in classical piano. He is Musical Director of Canberra Qwire (proudly LGBTQIA+) and Chorus Master for National Opera. His work as a repetiteur has seen him collaborate with Pacific Opera and Sydney Philharmonia Choirs, as well as holding multiple tenured positions as an Organist & Director of Music. A multi-award-winning Musical Director, Callum's work has been recognised with Canberra Ovation awards for Outstanding Musical Director and Outstanding Orchestra. Highlights as Musical Director include Sweet Charity (Free-Rain Theatre, 2025), Tick, Tick Boom (ACTHub, 2024), The Boy from Oz (Free-Rain Theatre, 2024), The Little Mermaid (SYMT, 2023), The Sound of Music (Willoughby Theatre Company, 2023) and The Full Monty (Theatre&Co, 2019). Outside the music world, Callum is a respected arts administrator and fundraising specialist, having worked at some of Australia's most cultural institutions, including Musica Viva, the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, the Australian Youth Orchestra and the National Portrait Gallery Callum currently serves as a Board Director of Luminescence Chamber Singers and his debut album 'From Atop the Hill' was released in July 2024.
Production Manager & Marketing Director | Katrina Wiseman Former Opera Australia Student Scholarship recipient and a recent graduate of the ANU School of Music, Katrina is talented young artist who is passionate about sharing music from a variety of genres. Most recently she performed as Oberto in National Opera's production of Alcina and Josephine in HMS Pinafore. Her previous roles include Susanna (Le Nozze di Figaro), Despina (Cosi fan Tutte), Lauretta & Ciesca (Gianni Schicci), La Suor Zelatrice (Suor Angelica), Clarice (Il Giuoco del Quadriglio) and ensemble in La Boheme, Die Fledermaus and Cavalleria Rusticana. Her previous work with National Opera includes performing in their Pocket Opera productions of Le Nozze di Figaro and Die Zauberflote, and the ensemble in La Clemenza di Tito. The recipient of numerous awards, Katrina was named as a finalist in the 2022 ACT Young Virtuoso of the Year and won the 2022 Australian National Eisteddfod Aria, Musical Theatre and Art song sections. While studying, she was the recipient of the Christel Larko Music Scholarship, the Bill Hislop Prize and the Llewellyn Choir Prize. Katrina has completed numerous young artist programs, including at Sydney Conservatorium of Music and the Cuskelly School of Music. In 2019, Katrina travelled to Europe to undertake training at the Vocal Academy of Orvieto, performing Clarice in Caldara’s rarely performed opera Il Giuoco del Quadriglio. While travelling, she undertook training with international coaches and performance specialists and participated in a masterclass at the Royal Academy of Music.