This musical is a very sweet rendition of the original book which has been a favorite for many years. This movie was a pleasant surprise! I feel that the writers and producers did an excellent job casting the characters and bringing them to life. It was easy to imagine that I was watching a stage production as there was little fancy animation and it really felt that the musical was set on a stage, rather than in a TV studio. The addition of the children's choir added the right touch, especially during particular scenes in which they were using props. The young actor who plays the Little Prince is very charming and has an excellent voice that is both pure and sweet. His physical similarities to the Little Prince in the book are also very accurate, as is the creation of the little planet on which he lives. This is a movie that I will continue to enjoy in the years to come.
3 Reviews
Glorious!!! An Astonishing Achievement!
gpadillo28 April 2005
Words failed me watching this "children's opera." This is an inspired and astoundingly profound work - not necessarily just for children. Faithfully based on the classic French children's tale, Rachel Portman has crafted what feels - and sounds - like a dream come to life. Musically, the score is firmly based in mid to late 20th century "classical" music (indeed, portions sound as though they could have been penned by Benjamin Britten), yet remain highly accessible to the casual listener. Portman's score is clear and concise emphasizing the text through the narratives which link the various scenes together. This leaves one unprepared for the experience of being hit full on with some truly remarkable choral music that creates the aural illusion of expanding into space - a truly remarkable experience
While the opera sounds and feels good - delightful even - all the way through, its final 20-30 minutes - beginning with the Pilot's carrying the Prince through the night in the desert in search of a well - have magic writ on every page. One cannot help but feel the influence of Janacek and the "nature" music of his operas.
The cast is inspired with Australian baritone Teddy Tahu-Rhodes as the Pilot in an ever blooming voice that captures the tale's narrative with a wistful, dreamlike quality. He is, in a single word: sensational.
As the Prince, Joseph McManners escapes the cloying saccharine too easily on display in talented children - his unaffected, natural ease made me assume the role had been written for him. Like Saint-Exupery's "Petit Prince" McManners understands this role and the music and like Saint-Exupery's original "Petit Prince" exudes a sweet mixture of melancholy, naiveté and wisdom that makes this character so special.
Leslie Garrett, the inestimable Willard White, Tom Randle and Tom Robinson (with exquisite music as the Lamplighter) all contribute beautifully and fit into Francesca Zambello's unique vision of this most beautiful of children's stories.
A most remarkable work that should be enjoyed by children and adults alike
While the opera sounds and feels good - delightful even - all the way through, its final 20-30 minutes - beginning with the Pilot's carrying the Prince through the night in the desert in search of a well - have magic writ on every page. One cannot help but feel the influence of Janacek and the "nature" music of his operas.
The cast is inspired with Australian baritone Teddy Tahu-Rhodes as the Pilot in an ever blooming voice that captures the tale's narrative with a wistful, dreamlike quality. He is, in a single word: sensational.
As the Prince, Joseph McManners escapes the cloying saccharine too easily on display in talented children - his unaffected, natural ease made me assume the role had been written for him. Like Saint-Exupery's "Petit Prince" McManners understands this role and the music and like Saint-Exupery's original "Petit Prince" exudes a sweet mixture of melancholy, naiveté and wisdom that makes this character so special.
Leslie Garrett, the inestimable Willard White, Tom Randle and Tom Robinson (with exquisite music as the Lamplighter) all contribute beautifully and fit into Francesca Zambello's unique vision of this most beautiful of children's stories.
A most remarkable work that should be enjoyed by children and adults alike
Really stunning
TheLittleSongbird15 November 2012
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
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