Act I, Scene 1
The curtain rises on a cottage at the edge of a deep forest, the home of Hansel and Gretel and their parents, Peter and Gertrude. The family is poor, and the parents are out trying to earn money to buy food while the children are left at home to do the chores.

The brother and sister lament the hunger pains they feel. Gretel then discovers milk left by the woman next door. The news so excites Hansel that he cannot work. The children decide to dance. Gretel teaches her brother the steps, and they sing as they whirl about the room.

The children's impulsive romp is interrupted by the return of their stern mother, who scolds them for not doing their chores. In her anger, Gertrude knocks over the pitcher of milk. That is the last straw. She sends the children out into the forest to find strawberries for supper: And if you don' t bring the basket back full to the brim, I'll beat the life out of both of you.

When the children are gone, she drops off to sleep. A voice is heard in the distance. It is the father, returning from a fair, where he has sold all of his brooms. When Peter asks about the children, Gertrude explains that they had not done their work and that she lost her temper and sent them into the forest to search for food when the pitcher of milk got smashed. Peter is stunned.

Don't you know that the wicked one lives there? The gingerbread Witch. It's a horrible tale. With magic cakes she tempts little children. As quick as lightning she pushes them into a red hot oven and out of the oven they come: the Gingerbread Children!

The two parents rush off to rescue Hansel and Gretel.

Act I, Scene 2

The two children are in the middle of a forest of huge trees. Gretel sits on a mossy rock, weaving a crown of wild roses. Hansel is looking for strawberries. My basket's full right up! Mother will surely be pleased with me! the boy brags, and crowns Gretel the Queen of the Forest.

Suddenly, the sound of the cuckoo is heard. Hansel imitates the bird and begins eating the strawberries. Before long, the tired children begin to quarrel over the berries, and Hansel empties the basket.

But as it begins to get dark, the children's high spirits turn into fear. Listen to the trees rustling! says Hansel. Do you know what the forest is saying? Children, children, it' s saying, aren't you afraid? They try to be brave, but as the mists rise and their calls for help only bring echoes, they fall to their knees in terror.

The Sandman comes to calm them and puts them to sleep. The children sing their evening prayer and sink back on the moss. In their dream, a light breaks in the mist, revealing a stairway leading up into the sky. Angels descend and stand around the children, guarding them while they sleep.

Act II
It is morning, and the mist has retreated. The Dew Fairy wakes the children, who rub their eyes in disbelief, recalling the marvelous dreams that they experienced. Hansel turns around, and, in place of the trees, a Gingerbread House has magically appeared.

The house turns out to be a tasty concoction of pastry and cake, the windows shining like sugar, and look, round the house, there's a gingerbread fence. Come let's nibble, like two mice!

Before long, the hungry mice arouse the owner. The door opens and there stands the Witch. She quickly traps them.

She offers them no end of treats, but the most wonderful treat–at least for her–she keeps a secret. The children try to escape, but the Witch freezes them in place with her magic wand. She leads Hansel off to a cage, where she plans to fatten him up for her supper. She brings Gretel back to life and tells her to set the table. She brings Hansel almonds and raisins to make him plump and tender and throws more logs into the oven. Grinning, she seizes her broom and rides around the house.

Coming back to earth, she tests Hansel's finger to see if he has gotten fatter. But the boy fools her by poking out a small stick instead.

While the Witch is feeding Hansel, Gretel waves a juniper branch and breaks the Witch's spell on her brother. When the Witch asks Gretel to open the oven door, the girl pretends she does not know how. The Witch bends forward to show her, and the children shove her into the flames.

The oven burns more and more fiercely, and, finally, it bursts into pieces with a loud bang and falls into ruins. Suddenly, Hansel and Gretel are surrounded by Gingerbread Children, who have resumed human form, yet appear to be asleep. Using the juniper twig and the old Hocus Pocus, Hansel brings them to life.

Suddenly, the father is heard in the distance. Hansel and Gretel cry in joy. They all marvel at the turn of events. The old Witch has been transformed into a giant gingerbread cake.

In a final chorus, all join in the motto that Peter taught his children at the beginning of the story: When past bearing is our grief, God the Lord will send relief!