The role of Gretel has always had a special significance for soprano Liv Redpath.

When she was in the youth program at The Minnesota Opera, she got the chance to take on the role for the first time in the program’s yearly “Hansel and Gretel” and she immediately knew that opera would be an essential part of her career.

These days, Redpath is at the Los Angeles Opera, where she is a Domingo-Colburn-Stein Young Artist, taking on the role of Gretel in the company’s production of the Humperdinck opera. The soprano, who has performed at such companies as the Santa Fe Opera, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis, Aspen Opera Theater, among others, recently spoke with OperaWire about her experience as Gretel in Los Angeles and the challenge of interpreting characters whose portrayal she doesn’t always agree with.

OperaWire: In your view, who is Gretel?

Liv Redpath: Gretel is a girl who likes to be in charge, but not so much that she misses out on all the fun that camaraderie brings. She’s a thinker, and always tries to be one step ahead—sometimes she gets sidetracked on the little things—like when Hansel finds her daydreaming in the forest instead of gathering food. Luckily, she has a good blend of humor and whimsy to redirect conversation when that happens… 

OW: How has this production in Los Angeles changed or altered your perspective of the character of Gretel?

LR: Doug Fitch’s vision has definitely opened my eyes to the world from the kids’ perspective. Our chairs are huge, the mushrooms are huge, the strawberries are huge…we’re just trying to keep up with it all. Richard Sparks’ translation, in addition to Doug’s vision, alters the major theme of the opera to stress trust and self-reliance. The final words of our English libretto read, “For our spirits did not fail, so we lived to tell the tale”, which could refer to Hansel & Gretel’s spirits, or could refer to the “spirits” who surround them in the woods to keep watch as they sleep. These kids run out into the unknown, and instead of having the fear of God put in them, they discover the scary monsters are their best friends, and they can save their own day!  

OW: How is Gretel similar and different from Liv Redpath?

LR: I relate to Gretel quite a bit. In my mind, she and her brother are around the same age but, as a girl, she feels more responsibility and gravitas—girls just grow up faster. I really relate to her adult-kid juxtaposition as well; she’s brave for her brother, but also brave enough to admit when something deeply scares her out in the woods—that vulnerability is a strength in its own right. 

Later, when they meet the witch, it’s Gretel who has the wherewithal to act fast when real danger is at hand. I hope I would do the same if anything happened to Kjell, my real brother, who is 5 years my junior. I got to watch Kjell grow up playing pretend and exploring with his crazy imagination. To me, a lot of this show is inspired by that little guy running around the house dressed up as a knight, or pulling all the laundry out of the hamper so he could make a fort. 

OW: What is the most challenging part of this opera? 

LR: I think the most challenging aspect of this piece is its musical and vocal scope. To me, there isn’t a better casting of this difficult show—we have two real opulent, Wagnerian singers for the parents, two lyric voices that can still be heard over this big orchestra, and a witch who can pull out all the stops and bring us home (but only figuratively)! On top of this, everyone is constantly running around, either because they’re a kid, or they’re distressed and poor like our parents, or because they’re magic. These two elements make this show more like going on an amusement ride or a ropes course, which is pretty invigorating! 

OW: Do you have a favorite moment?

LR: Having said all of this, my favorite moment is actually the prayer; it is the only moment in the piece where Hansel and I get to sit and have a more meditative thought, and it is also the first time we really get to sing together in harmony—it’s a good precursor to the second half, where we get to sing a lot of beautiful duets.  

OW: You’ve performed a number of productions with the LA Opera over the years. What has been your experience with the company? 

LR: LA Opera feels like my operatic home. I am so indebted to the vision and generosity of this place. I love that I work in a space where everyone is encouraged to find the truth in what they are performing and share that with the audience. It might sound silly, but the company feels like a family and, on stage and off, when I look around a room, these are personalities and minds who I know I’ll never get tired of exploring with; always bringing the level higher, making the art form more accessible, and finding honesty and beauty in as many moments as we can. Best of all, we all still want to have a meal together after the work is over!

OW: What has been the most memorable production you have done with the company to date?

LR: Each year I’ve spent at LA Opera as a Domingo-Colburn-Stein Young Artist has one mainstage experience that punctuates it. My first year, I was given a couple performances of Olympia in “Les Contes d’Hoffmann,” with Maestro Domingo conducting. It was my first big gig—sometimes you think there’s a gatekeeper and a “way” things happen when you’re coming up, but you never imagine it will happen now, and all because you showed up prepared and someone kind was looking out for you. It did, and I am still so grateful. Last year, I had the joy of singing Amour in John Neumeier’s gorgeous “Orphée et Eurydice” with the Joffrey Ballet. The whole process could be summed up by the word “grace.” And this year’s shoe-in is…you guessed it, “Hansel & Gretel.”

OW: What is the greatest challenge of your career?

LR: I think a big challenge I’ve overcome is having the bravery to be myself on stage. I remember in graduate school thinking how annoying some of my roles are. Empathy isn’t just for other living people, I’ve discovered. It’s also for my characters. Just because the cliché of the ingenue is boring doesn’t mean I have to be, or the damsel in distress, for that matter. I might not universally love the way these women have been portrayed in the past, but that doesn’t mean they can’t change. In fact, maybe that’s part of why I’m here. Women don’t have to use “womanly charms” or “ways”—what if they just use ways? Zerbinetta is sexy, but not because she’s the women amongst the men in the troupe, but because she’s the leader—her power is sexy, her facility is sexy, and her honest pragmatism is sexy. The list goes on.