The children's ballet "Hansel and Gretel", staged by Maria Tabakova, will be performed again at Burgas State Opera on Saturday, 17 October, at 11am, the opera said. A new premiere by Tabakova opens in the same hall at the end of November. See our original report: „Hansel and Gretel“ to hit the Burgas Opera stage this October.

The opera also named the cast for Saturday.

Tabakova did the adaptation, choreography and direction. She made the show with the opera's team. The idea and support came from the opera's director, Prof. Dr Alexander Tekeliev. The opera says his vision blends classical and modern stage art and adds to the repertoire.

Lina Peeva and Petar Tiholov are assistant directors, and Nikola Peshev did the multimedia. The costumes follow designs by artist Natali Markova and were sewn by the opera's wardrobe staff. Kalina Popova did the make-up and hair.

On Saturday, Francesco Russo will dance Hansel and Nanako Sato will dance Gretel. Polina Pasha plays the villain, the witch Baba Yaga, and Tiana Velikova is the Wicked Cat. Laya Ramon and Stoyan Furtunov play the children's mother and father.

Sofia Ryazanova will be the Dew Fairy and Raya Chakarova the Cupcake Fairy. Kalina Nedelcheva and Julia Lezzi also appear in the scene with the Fairy in the forest. Nayden Naydenov plays the Cotton Candy Seller. The children are played by Julia Lezzi, Raya Chakarova, Kalina Nedelcheva, Sofia Ryazanova, Patrick Gill, Haru Nakagawa, Shun Kawafune and other performers.

The story of the brother and sister is told through dance, from fear, temptation and courage to the joy of getting home. Also on stage are Baba Yaga, who is both sinister and funny, her cat helper, fairies, forest creatures, mushrooms and cookies.

Tabakova says the show was made with love, inspiration and devotion. The stage will become a magic forest where trees whisper, cookies dance and good finds its way home, she said.

"For me this show is like a shared dream – to show children that courage and love always beat fear," the director said.

She says the fairy tale, loved by generations of children, comes alive in a new way as a ballet, with music, movement and imagination. The sets and costumes take the audience into a colourful world between reality and dream, between childhood and imagination. Tabakova says the show is for the whole family and for everyone who still believes in miracles.

"Working with the opera's artists is a real inspiration. They have that spark that turns movement into emotion," she added.

Tabakova has two other productions in the Burgas Opera repertoire, "Little Red Riding Hood" and "Thumbelina", which still play to large audiences.