I adore opera, and seeing as I do like Rachel Portman's film music I was interested in seeing The Little Prince. And I am so glad I did, as the production is stunning in every regard, and the opera also was a pleasant surprise. If you want to introduce your children to this wonderful, if increasingly underestimated, genre, The Little Prince is a perfect place to start. The music is sweet and whimsical, some may complain about some of the "repetitive" lyrics but I found them easy to remember and very humorous, and the story exceedingly charming and heartfelt with colourful characters. Gorgeous also are the costumes and sets, they have so much life and colour and are very imaginatively utilized. The music is performed beautifully by the orchestra and conducted with well-judged tempos and elegant musicality. The chorus are also impressive, though if there is one criticism it is that it is not always easy to hear what they are singing about. The performances are just wonderful. Joseph McManners has the voice of an angel, looks adorable without sugar-coating everything too much, acts very convincingly and has exemplary diction. Teddy Tahu Rhodes is equally astonishing with a resonant voice and commanding presence, the best I've seen him actually(saw him in the Met Peter Grimes and Carmen, which were not bad at all but not as impressive as here). Lesley Garrett, Willard White and Tom Randle also give outstanding contributions, singing wonderfully and staying to their characters. In fact I can't think of anybody or anything who came across as bad here, so in conclusion I found this production to be stunning. 10/10 Bethany Cox
Review of The Little Prince
