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Home / Compositions / Stage / Stage - children's opera

Stage - children's opera

Opera for young people to perform. Both Peter Pan and The Piper’s Promise also require one adult (professional) singer.

Please click work titles for more information and resources (audio, sheet music, program note etc.) about individual works in this category.

Peter Pan (2015-17)

65 minutes
Opera

Text: Sue Smith (libretto)

Roles: Mrs Darling (soprano); Wendy (soprano); Peter Pan (mezzo/treble); Captain Hook (sprechstimme) Smaller roles: drawn from the chorus SSAA Chorus clarinet (=bass clar), violin, harp, percussion (one player), electronics

Commissioned by Kim Williams AM for Gondwana Choirs

More Info

The World Knot (1987-88)

75 minutes
Opera

Text: Graham Devlin (libretto)

Principal roles: Rev. Henry Smallmind (largely spoken); Victoria Smallmind (largely spoken); Igjugarjuk (baritone). There are many other small roles (some of which may be doubled), which should be taken from a chorus of 20-40 singers.
On-stage instruments: 2-1-1-1 / 1-1-0-0 / 3 perc / 1-0-0-0-1
Off-stage string orchestra (or tape)

Commissioned by Sydney Grammar School

First performance by Students and Staff of Sydney Grammar School, Theodore Pikos, Susan Khouri (conductors), James Hannah (producer), Sydney Grammar School, 28 October 1988

More Info

The Piper’s Promise (1986-87)

55 minutes
Opera

Text: Sue Rowley and Jim Falk (libretto)

Principal roles: Piper (dancer); The Chairman (tenor); Jack (tenor); Joy, the Crane Chaser (soprano); Joy's Daughter (soprano); Fool (spoken).  All roles except Piper and The Chairman may be taken by young (9-18 years) and/or inexperienced performers.
Chorus
2-0-2-0 / 0-2-0-0 / 4 recorders / elec guit / 1 perc / pno (4 hands) / strings / tape
(N.B. 1st trumpet, percussion and string section leaders should be professional or experienced players; other parts are relatively simple.)

Commissioned by the Australian Bicentennial Foundation

First performance by School of Creative Arts, University of Wollongong. Bill Paton (Piper), Gerald English (The Chairman), David Vance (conductor), Des Davis (producer), Richard Hook (designer); Illawarra Performing Arts Centre, Wollongong, 30 September 1988

More Info

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