In the opera “Hansel and Gretel,” the titular characters are frightened right out of their sugar buzz by a nasty witch who has dinner plans for them.

Still, David Katz says opera shouldn’t be a scary experience for children.

That’s why he has worked to make his Hat City Music Theater’s production of Engelbert Humperdinck’s “Hansel and Gretel” as accessible as possible for all ages.

“It’s a wonderful first opera experience for young people,” said Katz in a phone interview from Chicago. “It’s an opportunity to hear a wonderful story told all through singing.”

Most importantly, the opera, which will be performed at 8 p.m. Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday at the Maine Center for the Arts in Orono, is sung entirely in English.

“An audience should be able to know what’s going on without reading something above the stage,” Katz said. “An opera is made up of musical and emotional information, and it’s best if it’s in the language that the singers and audience know best.”

Katz points out that opera failed to take off among the general public in the United States until the 1950s, when productions began to be performed regularly in English.

He added that his young, five-member cast of singers are talented actors as well.

“It’s not just a stand-and-sing production,” he said.

Katz has been staging this particular production of “Hansel and Gretel” for a decade, first with Opera!Kewanne in Michigan, and now with Hat City, based in his hometown of Danbury, Conn. (once known as the Hat City of the world). So how does Katz keep a production based on an old fairy tale fresh?

“The cast has changed many times, and each professional brings special qualities to it,” he explained. “It’s one of the most extraordinary pieces of opera music. I never tire of it. Also, touring adds to the excitement, as it’s never the same community, the same theater.”

The University of Maine show represents a homecoming of sorts for Katz. He was founding artistic director for Opera Maine-The Chamber Orchestra of Maine from 1995 to 2000 before leaving to found Hat City. He also served as guest conductor for the Bangor Symphony Orchestra a number of times, most recently in 2003.

“It’s always nice to come back to Maine, even in November,” Katz said with a laugh.

Other aspects give the production a local flavor as well. First, there’s a chorus of Gingerbread Children made up of area schoolchildren.

The Gingerbread Children make their appearance in the opera’s final scene, after the Witch is thrown into the oven. That releases the children from her spell, and they sing to celebrate.

The chorus has been organized by Travis LaCombe, associate organist at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Bangor. He took on this duty after a request from two of that church’s congregants: John Patches, executive director of the MCA, and his wife, Elizabeth.

There now are 12 children involved in the chorus, all from St. John’s, although LaCombe is still trying to recruit more from other area churches. They have rehearsed about four hours on the five-minute song.

“They’ve sung [at the MCA] before, but they’re pretty excited,” LaCombe said. “They think it will be a lot of fun.”

Providing music for the production will be the Chamber Orchestra of Maine, a 21-member group recruited by Linda Kern over the past two years. Kern worked closely with Katz at Opera Maine, and he gave her a call when the MCA date was firmed up.

Kern, of Steuben, gathered musicians from the Bangor Symphony Orchestra and other symphonies in Maine.

“We worked with almost all of them in Opera Maine,” she said.

The musicians have been rehearsing individually but will practice together for the first time the week of the performances.

“It’s just a matter of fine-tuning then, of balancing the orchestra with the singers and the children,” Kern explained. “That balance between the singers and the orchestra is key because the singers need to be heard and understood.”

Katz has been talking with Patches about bringing this opera to Orono for about five years.

“I’m really excited to be returning to Maine with ‘Hansel & Gretel,'” he said.

Dale McGarrigle can be reached at 990-8028 and dmcgarrigle@bangordailynews.net.

Hat City Music Theater’s “Hansel and Gretel”

What: “Hansel and Gretel”

Length: Under two hours

When: 8 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 20, and 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 21

Where: Maine Center for the Arts in Orono

How much: $10-$20 for adults and $5-$10 for children

Contact: (800) 622-8499, 581-1748 and www.mainecenterforthearts.org