Hansel and Gretel By Boston Lyric Opera Just for Kids Sunday, March 30, Marblehead, MA

"BLO's kid-friendly version of Engelbert Humperdinck's treat of an opera is a squirm-proof one-hour, fully staged, English-language version that features BLOs orchestra and will be performed for families in Boston , Marblehead and Waltham," says BLO publicist Mia Howard.

Tickets are still available for this Sunday, March 30, for Marblehead families interested in introducing their kids to opera via Boston Lyric Opera's Hansel and Gretel. Tickets can be purchased by phone at (617) 542.6772 or at the door Sunday from 12:30pm.

In this classic fairy tale geared for children ages 6-12, a walk in the forest turns into a discovery of delights and frights. A gingerbread house tempts Hansel and Gretel's taste buds, but behind those sugar-coated gumdrop walls lurks a witch. Hansel and Gretel must stick together to free the forest from a wicked spell. This production is a perfect way to introduce children to opera and is great for the whole family.

Sunday, March 30, 1:30pm, Marblehead Veterans Middle School Performing Arts Center, 217 Pleasant St., Marblehead.

In Boston, the opera is Sunday, April 13, 11:30am and 1:30pm, John Hancock Hall, 180 Berkeley St. Final performance is Sunday, May 4,,11:30am and 1:30pm, Brandeis University's Spingold Theater, 415 South St. , Waltham.

Tickets for Marblehead and Boston shows are $18 for adults and $12 for children. Call (617) 542-6772 or order online at www.blo.org/HG. For Waltham performances, call Brandeis Tickets at (781) 736-3400, option 5.

Boston Lyric Opera (BLO) was founded in 1976, and is recognized for its artistically excellent productions of a diverse repertoire that entertain and inspire audiences and feature emerging operatic talent. Its mainstage productions at the Shubert Theatre, live broadcasts on WGBH radio and annual traveling production of a fully staged, one-hour English version of a popular opera for school children and families reach some 200,000 people a year. Boston Lyric Opera's programs are funded, in part,
by a grant from the Massachusetts Cultural Council. www.blo.org