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A C TA TO O M LE U PA O F C H S S LO O IO V F N E FA , A , H IR N O Y D PE M A , A G IC
QUEENSLAND MUSIC FESTIVAL, QUEENSLAND BALLET, BALONNE SHIRE COUNCIL, GOONDIWINDI REGIONAL COUNCIL AND MARANOA REGIONAL COUNCIL PRESENT
Illustration by Varya Kolesnikova
Welcome Message What a privilege it is for Queensland Music Festival and Queensland Ballet to revive The Little Green Road to Fairyland, originally commissioned by Queensland Music Festival in 2011, with acclaimed choreographer Paul Boyd creating a new ballet to Elena Kats-Chernin’s stunning original score.
How wonderful to be able to premiere this very Australian tale throughout Queensland, and to perform for young Queenslanders who might not otherwise have the opportunity to experience ballet, live classical music and singing.
The project brings together three extraordinary Australian women, author Annie R. Renthoul, her sister, Ida Rentoul Outhwaite and composer Elena KatsChernin: artists who lived almost a century apart, combining to make something very special, unique and quintessentially Australian for us here and now.
In creating this work together, we hope to deliver an unforgettable experience that is accessible, relevant and speaks to children. Musicians from Camerata – Queensland’s Chamber Orchestra playing live on stage, joined by Queensland soprano Kristin Berardi along with an ensemble of dancers, will bring the colourful characters to life and take our audiences on a beautiful journey.
We are particularly passionate about celebrating our unique Australian sounds and stories and igniting the minds and hearts of young children, and feel this project does that perfectly.
The music is truly wonderful for young and old, and we hope you enjoy travelling along The Little Green Road to Fairyland with us, sparking your love and joy of all things magical!
KATIE NOONAN ARTISTIC DIRECTOR QUEENSLAND MUSIC FESTIVAL
LI CUNXIN AO ARTISTIC DIRECTOR QUEENSLAND BALLET
The Story of The Little Green Road to Fairyland Two small children, Maykin and her brother Robin are being settled in their beds by their mother who is reading their favourite book, The Little Green Road to Fairyland. Slowly they fall to sleep.
have recently passed away, wanders despondently through the forest with a bouquet of lilies to take to their graves. Fairy must do something to relieve Mary’s suffering.
A Fairy appears through their bedroom window, sprinkles her magic fairy dust over the sleeping children and takes Maykin and Robin on a magical journey. Their dream begins! Fairy, with her magic wings, wand and flute, along with the mystical voice of The Spirit of Fairyland arrive in a Magic Forest. They are greeted by a Blue Wren and together they reveal and bring to life four magic, enchanted trees, The Trees of Love, Magic, Music and Compassion.
Fairy and her friends bring Mary back to the Tree of Love and it is there that Fairy transfers the magic of her own heart over to Mary so that she may feel love again. When losing her fairy heart, Fairy also loses her wings and she becomes a more mortal character. Everyone in the Magic Forest celebrates Mary’s new found heart.
Maykin and Robin, still in their pyjamas arrive in the Magic Forest and begin to discover the mystical surroundings with their new found friends. Mary, a sad and lonely woman, whose husband and young daughter Lily
Leaving the Magic Forest on an adventure, Fairy and her friends come upon a young, shy boy, Jasper who wants to have the pleasure of playing a tuneful flute as his flute is old and broken. He is fascinated by the magic music that Fairy plays on her flute and so everyone takes Jasper back to the magic Tree of Music and it is there that Fairy gifts her flute to him.
Jasper, with his new flute, leads his friends on a path where they come upon a young, poor lost girl, Sylvie, who is clothed in a very dull, colourless dress. Mary’s motherly instincts take over and she comforts a sad Sylvie. Sylvie so wants to have something beautiful to wear so Fairy has an idea of how to fulfil her wish. Everyone accompanies Sylvie back to the Tree of Compassion where Fairy transforms her fairy wings into a beautiful new dress for Sylvie. Fairy is still aware that Mary is sad about her lost child from the Tree of Magic, a new born baby is granted to Mary. Filled with motherly love, Mary no longer needs the magic of Fairy’s heart and so returns the magic heart back to Fairy. Fairy now realises her mission is complete. She has helped all her new found friends and now desires to return to her home in Fairyland. A beautiful butterfly is sent from Fairyland to help guide Fairy back home and so she invites her friends to accompany her on her journey along the Little Green Road. On the journey, Fairy transforms back into her magic self, her
wings appear and she is now complete to return home. At the end of the Little Green Road is a fairy size mossy green door and so she bids farewell to her mortal friends but invites Maykin and Robin into her fairy world. Joyfully, Fairy, Butterfly, Maykin and Robin dance in the beauty of Fairyland with the ever present Spirit of Fairyland. Back in the bedroom, Maykin and Robin wake up to find a wand in their bed. Was it a dream after all or were they in fact transported to another world, a world only visited by those with a magic heart and who truly believe in miracles!
The soundtrack CD for The Little Green Road To Fairyland, featuring Camerata – Queensland’s Chamber Orchestra and soprano Katie Noonan, is available for sale online through ABC Music.
Illustrations by Ida Rentoul Outhwaite; kindly provided by Vanessa Martin & Stella Palmer
Rehearsals Photography by Faye Sakura Rentoule
Production
Soprano: Kristin Berardi
Music Performed By: Camerata – Queensland’s Chamber Orchestra Cello | Eleanor Streatfeild Viola | Gregory Daniel Flute | Jodie Rottle Violin | Lara Baker-Finch Keyboard | Robert Manley
Music Arranger: Steve Newcomb
Stage Manager: Yanni Dubler
Costume Designer/ Head of Wardrobe: Noelene Hill
Sound: Nathalie Devilliers
Composer: Elena Kats-Chernin Choreographer: Paul Boyd
Set Designer: Joshua McIntosh Lighting Designer: Cameron Goerg Dramaturg: Sandra Gattenhof Ballet Mistress & Assistant to the Choreographer: Lisa Edwards Dancers: Brittany Blanford Dayna Booth Jayden Grogan Natalie Lu Paige Rochester William Cheung Kimberley Davis
Lighting: Jess Dunn Mechanist: Shelby Huggett Deputy Head of Wardrobe: Lauryn Jackson Assistant to the Costume Designer & Art Finisher: Zoe Griffiths Principal Cutters: Kathryn Lee Anna Ilic Erin Krosch Cutter: Vicki Martin Tutu Specialist: Anne Tytherleigh
Costumer Makers: Margie Stafford Jayne Warrington Frances Pyper Rebekah Ellis Isabelle Lacombe Elizabeth Ball Headpiece & Jewellery Maker: Suzie Rodgers Assistant Headpiece & Jewellery Maker: Kylie Landsborough Blue Wren Mask: Suzie Rodgers Marion Hoad Shoe Coordinator: Amanda Newman Performance Costume Coordinator/Dresser: Zoe Griffiths Queensland Music Festival Visual Art Workshop Facilitators: Sally McRae Sue Loveday Queensland Ballet Teaching Artists: Lydia Melmeth Lily Spencer
Bushland Magic Queensland Music Festival and Queensland Ballet collaborated to provide workshops for the children of Roma, St George and Goondiwindi preceding co-production of The Little Green Road to Fairyland Regional Tour, introducing them to the themes of the live production, and exploring the concepts of folklore and magical creatures in nature – both real and imagined. The workshops were designed to explore the child’s connectedness to nature, the environment and imagination, and ultimately to increase pride and awareness of local bushland and natural environment. Children were encouraged to share stories of existing local legends, mythical creatures in their own hometowns, or creatures of their own imaginings. As in Ida Rentoul Outhwaite’s illustrations from the original book The Little Green Road to Fairyland, local wildlife and the natural environment were used as a source of inspiration to commence brainstorming the Bushland Magic installations. Focussing on utilising sustainable, organic and readily accessible materials the children have
recreated their visions, don’t miss the Bushland Magic installation exhibitions at each of the live performance both regionally and at QPAC. The Bushland Magic Art Installation was created by Brisbane artist’s Sally McRae & Sue Loveday in collaboration with over 700 primary school students from St George, Hebel, Bollon, Thallon, Dirranbandi, Roma, Goondiwindi, Kindon, Lundavra, Bungunya, Talwood and Yelarbon. In collaboration with Queensland Music Festival, Queensland Ballet Teaching Artists delivered regional in-school workshops in Goondiwindi, Dirranbandi, St George and Roma during April and May 2019 to support the regional performances. QB’s in-school workshops are an engaging introduction to ballet for all abilities and experience levels with outcomes linked to the Australian Curriculum. These creative dance workshops are tailored for Prep – Year 2 and explore the Australian landscapes, animals and characters from The Little Green Road to Fairyland.
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Queensland Music Festival and Queensland Ballet would like to respectfully acknowledge the Traditional Owners and Custodians of the lands on which The Little Green Road to Fairyland performances are taking place, and Elders past, present and emerging. Queensland Music Festival and Queensland Ballet will be capturing footage during this event. By attending this event, you agree to be photographed and/or filmed and give permission to use your likeness in promotional, and/or marketing material. All such photographs and footage shall be the sole property of Queensland Music Festival and Queensland Ballet, releasing Queensland Music Festival and Queensland Ballet from any and all liability on account of such usage. If you do not wish to be subject to the forgoing, please talk to one of our staff. Thank you for your cooperation.
Queensland Music Festival is an initiative of the Queensland Government through Arts Queensland.
Proudly supported by
This project is presented in association with Balonne Shire Council, Goondiwindi Regional Council and Maranoa Regional Council, and has been assisted by the generous support of Queensland Government through Arts Queensland, Tim Fairfax AC and the Pavetta Foundation. Goondiwindi and Roma performances are supported through the Regional Arts Development Fund, a partnership between the Queensland Government and council to support local arts and culture in regional Queensland.