"Lively and appealing . . . this book will be especially useful for music teachers introducing opera to young audiences." —School Library Journal
"Children (and adults) willing to set aside logic for a time will enjoy themselves mightily." —Kirkus Reviews
"Offers an appealing introduction to the opera." —Booklist
"A lovely artistic rendering of the surrealist opera." —The Parent Guide
"A beautiful, weird book adapted from Sergei Prokofiev’s opera." —Courier-Journal
"A very silly, very surreal opera and a very amusing one." —STLtoday.com
"A world of court jesters, evil witches, beautiful princesses, and a far away kingdom come alive in this rarely told tale." —Edmonton’s Child
The magical surrealism of the famous opera The Love for Three Oranges is vividly depicted in this pictorial adaptation, designed to create an awareness of classical music among young children. Combining humor, sorrow, fantasy, and a bit of the grotesque, this fanciful story tells the tale of a prince whose melancholy can only be cured by a hearty laugh. In order to break through his gloom, the king plans a splendid feast and orders the court jester, Truffaldino, to appear and cheer up his son. When the prince finally lets out a guffaw, he incurs the wrath of Fata Morgana, a malicious witch who curses him with an undeniable passion for three oranges—oranges that he must chase to the ends of the earth.
Sergei Prokofiev is one of the most celebrated Russian composers of the 20th century. He is the composer of the operas The Gambler, The Love for Three Oranges, Peter and the Wolf, and War and Peace. Elzbieta Gaudasinska is an award-winning illustrator.
View interior graphics from this book.
Sample image 1 (100K)
Sample image 2 (78K)
Sample image 3 (94K)
Childrens: Picture Books
Age Range: 7 to 9
40 pages, Cloth, 9 3/4 x 11 3/4
40 Color Illustrations, Four-color Interior
Distribution Rights: US & CA
$16.95 (CAN $22.95)
9780964601031 (0964601036) Pub Date: September 2006
Pumpkin House, Ltd.