Performed by soloists of the Mariinsky Academy of Young Opera Singers
Premiere: 19 November 2016, Mariinsky Theatre
Running time 50 minutes
The performance without interval
The Wooden House is one of those tales that are read to very young children. It is unsurprising that, having come up with the idea of an opera for the very young, the composer Leonid Klinichev turned specifically to this tale. Following The Little Prince, it was his second work created especially for young audiences.
The libretto, as was the case with the preceding work, was written by the composer's daughter Madina Klinicheva. "I set myself a task: it has to be unusually visual, vivid and flashy so that each character has his or her own precise persona," the composer reflected, "And I have to admit that she succeeded."
Some small changes have been made to the plot of the tale, making it more accessible to the children of the present day. For example, in the opera there is the Fox who is keeping an eye on her figure, the cowardly but boastful Hare and the opera-singing Frog who takes great care to preserve her voice. In addition to the characters familiar to all from childhood, the opera features two clowns – one sad and one happy. They are the ones who address the young audiences, encouraging them to take part in the plot. Olga Vokina
The highlighting of performances by age represents recommendations.
This highlighting is being used in accordance with Federal Law N436-FZ dated 29 December 2010 (edition dated 1 May 2019) "On the protection of children from information that may be harmful to their health"