Royal Children

Engelbert Humperdinck’s fairy-tale opera Königskinder tells the touching story of a goose girl and a king’s son whose impossible love is shattered by class barriers and magical obstacles. Based on Elsa Bernstein’s art fairy tale, Humperdinck created a work that merged the fairy-tale opera with the currents of Art Nouveau and early psychoanalysis—full of dreamlike imagery and inner conflicts.

Following the triumph of Hänsel und Gretel, Humperdinck set new standards with Königskinder: its 1910 premiere at the New York Metropolitan Opera sparked a global series of performances. The music blends folk-like melodies with harmonic experimentation, underscoring the emotional depth of the plot.

With this production, Markus Poschner bids farewell as chief conductor of the Linz Music Theatre—an opportunity to rediscover this nearly forgotten masterpiece.