OSU Opera
Join OSU Opera for a magical production of Engelbert Humperdinck’s beloved fairy tale opera, Hansel and Gretel.
Featuring stunning music, captivating storytelling, and a cast of talented OSU singers, this family-friendly performance is sure to delight audiences of all ages!
Purchase Tickets to Hansel & Gretel
Oklahoma State University Opera will present Hansel and Gretel composed by Gian Engelbert Humperdinck on Thursday, October 9, and Friday, October 10 at 7:30 pm in The McKnight Center for the Performing Arts, Stillwater. This opera will be presented in three acts with one fifteen-minute intermission based on the libretto by Adelheid Wette after a Grimm fairytale with English translation by Constance Bache and Christiaan Bester. The cast and orchestra are comprised of students and faculty from the Michael and Anne Greenwood School of Music.
Stage Directed by Dr. Christian Bester, Conducted by Dr. Luca Antonucci, and Music Directed by Megan Barth Argo with assistance from Steve Sanders, April Golliver-Mohiuddin, and Dr. Elena Lyalina, the performance is sure to be a crowd pleaser for all ages! This fresh take on Hansel and Gretel transports the classic story where animals were once children, and a fabulously flamboyant witch rules her domain with a touch of heartland flair. With lively tunes and glittering costumes, this magical production promises laughter, suspense, and surprises. Perfect for the whole family. It’s a fairy tale like you’ve never seen before!
Engelbert Humperdinck (1854–1921) was a German composer who began his career as an assistant to Richard Wagner in Bayreuth in a variety of capacities, including tutoring Wagner’s son Siegfried in music and composition. Hansel and Gretel was Humperdinck’s first complete opera and remains the foundation of his reputation. The libretto was written by Humperdinck’s sister, Adelheid Wette (1858–1916), and is based on the version found in the Brothers Grimm collection of folk stories. Jacob (1785–1863) and Wilhelm (1786–1859) Grimm were German academics whose groundbreaking linguistic work revolutionized the understanding of language development.
The cast will feature special guest artists, Lesley Friend, and Joshua Cominsky, alongside current opera students, Nia Sier (Oklahoma City, OK), Nevaeh Hennessy (Edmond, OK), Adeline Skillman (Stillwater, OK), Jillian Morris (Oklahoma City, OK), Erin Rogers (Muskogee, OK), Braden Flud (Edmond, OK), Mykaela Johnson (Noble, OK), Lydia Raines (Durant, OK), Grae Taylor (Pond Creek, OK), Tyler Cantrell (Ada, OK), Van Hartman (Edmond, OK), Landry Warder (Ramona, OK), Connor Halley (Edmond, OK), Madeline Donesky (Oklahoma City, OK), and Cole Rogers (Muskogee, OK).
Tickets can be purchased online at mcknightcenter.org or at the McKnight Center for the Performing Arts Box Office. The Box Office can be reached at (405) 744-9999. Box Office hours are Monday-Friday, 9am-4pm, and two hours before the performance. General Admission is $12, Seniors $10, and students $7. Ordering tickets in advance is highly recommended.
OSU Aria Society
OSU Opera proudly introduces the ARIA SOCIETY—a new opera guild created to support and celebrate the work of the OSU Greenwood School of Music.
We invite you to become a charter member for just $125 per couple. Your contribution, directed to the Opera Program Fund through the OSU Foundation, will directly support the production costs of our main stage operas and student scholarships.
For more information, please contact Professor April Golliver-Mohiuddin at april.golliver@okstate.edu.
2025–2026 Aria Society Events
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Mischief and Morals
Friday, November 21 at 6:00 pm -
Brunch and Buccaneers
Sunday, February 1 at 11:00 am -
Spring Finale
Date TBD
Support the Next Generation of Opera Stars
OSU Opera is a top level performance experience for singers at Oklahoma State University. Students will expand their knowledge of opera history and repertoire and develop their ability to move and sing on stage. Recent opera performances include Susannah (Carlisle Floyd), Die Fledermaus (Johann Strauss), Suor Angelica and Gianni Schicchi (both by Giacomo Puccini), and The Pirates of Penzance (Gilbert and Sullivan).
The OSU Opera presents a fully staged, costumed, major opera with full orchestra each year in the spring semester. Rehearsals begin in the fall semester, and auditions are held during the previous spring semester. Our cast consists of undergraduate and graduate students, both music majors and non-majors. Performers have the opportunity to sing lead, supporting, and chorus roles.
Your gift to the OSU Opera Student Scholarship Fund helps talented singers pursue their passion and training right here at the Greenwood School of Music. Every donation directly supports students with tuition assistance, performance opportunities, and the resources they need to thrive on stage and beyond. Invest in their voices today—because their stories, music, and artistry will shape tomorrow.
Opera students performing in Hansel and Gretel by Engelbert Humperdinck.