CUESHEET PERFORMANCE GUIDE
WA S H I N G T O N N AT I O N A L O P E R A
Rachel Portman’s
The Little Prince Libretto by Nicholas Wright
Based on the book by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry Directed by Francesca Zambello Conducted by James Lowe
With members of the Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist Program and the WNO Children’s Chorus Major support for WNO is provided by Jacqueline Badger Mars. David and Alice Rubenstein are the Presenting Underwriters of WNO.
A Trip Through Space Travel with a mysterious little prince as he gives a lonely pilot some valuable lessons in life, love, and laughter. But keep an eye out for some silly characters and creepy creatures—and be sure to steer clear of baobab (pronounced BEY-oh-bab) trees.
What Happens in the Story ACT I
A young pilot introduces himself to the audience. He explains how grownups never really understood him and that now, as an adult, he earns a living soaring through the sky. The stars sing to him as he glides through the air but, despite the pleasant atmosphere, he suddenly loses control of his plane and crashes into the Sahara Desert. The pilot looks over the damage and begins to try and fix the plane. But just as he grabs his tools, he’s interrupted by a small boy who curiously asks the pilot to draw a sheep. Though confused at first, the pilot comes to know the boy as “the Little Prince,” and, slowly, the prince reveals his unusual story. We learn the prince was once the proud owner of a tiny asteroid, where he cared for a lovely rose whom he adored but who was also very difficult to please. She challenged him to leave his home and gain more wisdom in order to be able to take care of her better, and so…he set out to visit some neighboring planets. During his travels he met several strange adults, including a king, a vain man, a drunkard, a businessman, and a lamplighter. After meeting these men, the Little Prince—not quite satisfied with what he’d discovered so far—decided to journey to planet Earth.
ACT II
The prince continues his story while the pilot listens. On Earth, the prince says, he met a slithering snake who claimed that his deadly poison could “ease” all the prince’s worries. The Little Prince then encountered a garden full of roses and cried at the thought that his own rose might merely be one out of a million other common flowers.
The Little Prince tends to his beautiful rose.
Soon after meeting the roses, he adds that he was comforted by a friendly fox. The fox, who begged the prince to tame her and make her his own, gently explained that everything worthwhile is invisible and that such things cannot be touched, but can only be felt with the heart. She also told him that the bonds of love are what make all things—including ordinary flowers— uniquely special. The pilot then cuts off the prince’s story, saying that the two of them will need water if they’re to continue to survive in the desert. Exhausted, they travel to a spot directly beneath the prince’s planet (which sits high in the night sky) and discover a well. As they collect cool water from the crystal-clear well, the pilot realizes his friendly affection for the prince and begins to understand the fox’s message. Still, the prince longs to return to his rose as he has promised. Will the tired and weary Little Prince make it home? Will the pilot be able to keep the prince’s lessons in his heart if the Little Prince disappears?
and Time Passenger List: The Main Characters The Pilot (baritone—a middle-range male voice) The Little Prince a visitor from another world (boy soprano—a voice type that applies to young boys who sing in a high range that’s typical of female singers) The Rose (soprano—the highest female voice) A Fox (mezzo-soprano—a middle-range female voice) A Snake (tenor—the highest male voice) The Voice of the Water (soprano) The Inhabitants of Nearby Planets
The Little Prince learns what it takes to “tame” a fox.
Take Off: What is Opera? An “opera” is a story told through music. Instead of speaking, the characters sing through their thoughts and emotions. Sometimes the characters sing by themselves which is called an aria, (AR-ee-yah), and sometimes they sing in groups of two or more. There’s also an orchestra that plays with the singers and uses different combinations of instruments at different times.
Flight Plan: Rachel Portman’s The Little Prince Inspired by the French book by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (ahn-TWAN duh san-teg-zu-pey-REE), The Little Prince was written by English composer Rachel Portman and librettist (lyric writer) Nicholas Wright in 2003. The opera draws on the World War II-era novel’s themes of innocence, experience, happiness, and sorrow, all while exploring the different ways in which children and adults view the world. The Little Prince features many child soloists and a children’s chorus as well as a full orchestra.
ALL PHOTOS BY SCOTT SUCHMAN
A Few More Things About the composer…
What to watch and listen for…
Best known for her work in film music, English composer Rachel Portman started writing melodies at age 14. After studying music at Oxford University, she wrote musical scores for TV shows and movies, eventually becoming the first ever female composer to win an Academy Award®. While The Little Prince is her only opera to date, she still writes music for both stage and screen from her home in London.
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Things to think about…
scary music for the baobab trees. Listen for the low-sounding instruments and the forceful drums that represent these destructive plants. What do the sounds remind you of? Also watch for the baobabs’ slimy, slinky costumes. the prince and the pilot occasionally sing in short, choppy bursts with very few instruments, but also sing longer phrases that rise above the entire orchestra. Why do you think the composer uses these different styles? Do the styles remind you of anything? (Hint: Think about what it sounds like when you have a normal conversation versus when you talk about something that excites you or makes you smile.)
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry was a pilot whose plane disappeared during a 1944 war mission. Why do you think he chose a pilot as his narrator?
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the prince very rarely joins adults in song, he does sing a duet with the lamplighter. Why do you think the composer chose to have them sing together?
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flute often plays alongside the prince’s voice. Why do you feel the composer chose this instrument to accompany the Little Prince? (Hint: Think light, soft sounds.)
Chairman
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David M. Rubenstein
the musical melodies may rise and fall along with the characters’ feelings. For example, the voice of the well water keeps getting higher and higher as the prince and the pilot enjoy a happy moment.
The Little Prince meets a sly and slippery snake.
Deborah F. Rutter President
Mario R. Rossero
Senior Vice President Education
Francesca Zambello
Washington National Opera Artistic Director
WNO acknowledges the longstanding generosity of Life Chairman Mrs. Eugene B. Casey.
The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation; Paul M. Angell Family Foundation; and the U.S. Department of Education.
WNO’s Presenting Sponsor
Funding for Access and Accommodation Programs at the Kennedy Center is provided by the U.S. Department of Education.
The Domingo-Cafritz Young Artist Program is made possible through the generous support of The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation, with additional funding provided by Judy and Billy Cox, Robert and Lynn Downing, Virginia McGehee Friend, Nicole Alfandre Halbreiner, Susan Carmel Lehrman, John & Mary Lee Malcolm, Michael F. and Noémi K. Neidorff and The Centene Charitable Foundation, Mr. and Mrs. Geoffrey P. Pohanka, Dr. Arthur and Mrs. Robin Sagoskin, Mr. Alan J. Savada and Mr. Will Stevenson, Mr. and Mrs. William E. Schuiling, Jr., Dr. and Mrs. Guillermo Schultz, Mr. and Mrs. Michael R. Sonnenreich, Washington National Opera Council, and The Women’s Committee of Washington National Opera.
Major support for educational programs at the Kennedy Center is provided by David and Alice Rubenstein through the Rubenstein Arts Access Program.
Additional support for Events for Students is provided by A. James & Alice B. Clark Foundation; the Kimsey Endowment;
Kennedy Center education and related artistic programming is made possible through the generosity of the National Committee for the Performing Arts and the President’s Advisory Committee on the Arts. The content of this Cuesheet may have been developed under a grant from the U.S. Department of Education but does not necessarily represent the policy of the U.S. Department of Education. You should not assume endorsement by the federal government.
©2017 The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts