The Little Green Road to Fairyland 11 – 21 JULY, 2019 Playhouse Theatre, QPAC QB PRINCIPAL PARTNER
QB MAJOR PARTNERS
QMF PRINCIPAL QMF MAJOR PARTNER PARTNERS
WELCOME
The Little Green Road to Fairyland
What a privilege it is for Queensland Music Festival and Queensland Ballet to revive The Little Green Road to Fairlyand.
Originally commissioned by Queensland Music Festival in 2011, with acclaimed choreographer Paul Boyd now creating a new ballet to Elena Kats-Chernin’s stunning original score. The project brings together three extraordinary Australian women: author Annie R. Rentoul, her sister, Ida Rentoul Outhwaite and composer Elena Kats-Chernin. These artists lived almost a century apart, yet this work has combined their talents to make something very special, unique and quintessentially Australian for us here and now. 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.
This very Australian tale premiered in regional Queensland as part of this year’s Queensland Music Festival and we were thrilled to perform for young Queenslanders who might not otherwise have the opportunity to experience ballet, live classical music and singing. It is now our pleasure to bring this production to our Brisbane audiences. In creating this work together, we wanted to deliver an unforgettable experience that would be accessible and relevant for children. The ensemble of musicians from Camerata — Queensland’s Chamber Orchestra, Queensland soprano Kristin Berardi and beautiful dancers, bring colourful characters to life and take our audiences on a beautiful journey. Elena Kats-Chernin’s music is truly wonderful for young and old, and we hope you enjoy travelling along The Little Green Road to Fairyland with us and discover the joy of all things magical!
Katie Noonan Artistic Director Queensland Music Festival
Li Cunxin ao Artistic Director Queensland Ballet
THE STORY
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. 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. 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 so 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 Little Green Road to Fairyland
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. 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 have recently passed away, wanders despondently through the forest with a bouquet of flowers to take to their graves. Fairy must do something to relieve Mary’s suffering. 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. 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.
PRODUCTION CREDITS
Composer Elena Kats-Chernin Choreographer Paul Boyd Sopranos Katie Noonan (select performances) Kristin Berardi Music Arranger Steve Newcomb Costume Designer Noelene Hill Set Designer Joshua McIntosh Lighting Designer Cameron Goerg Dramaturg Sandra Gattenhof Ballet Mistress & Assistant to the Choreographer Lisa Edwards
Technical Director Cameron Goerg Stage Manager Carly O’Neill Head Mechanist Dan Villiers Head Electrician Scott Chiverton Props Heather O’Keeffe Yanni Dubler Set Construction Joshua McIntosh Andrew Mills Jamie Bowman Dan Villiers Head of Wardrobe Noelene Hill 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 Costume 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 Wig & Hair Stylist Michael Green
CAST
Maykin Natalie Lu Robin William Chueng Mother of Maykin & Robin Dayna Booth The Spirit of Fairyland Katie Noonan (select performances) Kristin Berardi A Fairy Paige Rochester Mary Kimberley Davis The Blue Wren / Sylvie Brittany Blandford Jasper Jayden Grogan
Butterfly Meghan Hansen (select performances) Dayna Booth Music Performed by Camerata — Queensland’s Chamber Orchestra Violin Lara Baker-Finch Viola Gregory Daniel Cello Eleanor Streatfeild Flute Jodie Rottle Percussion Lochlin Dormer
Join us in the foyer for more magical times! Lots of fun activities for the little ones and beautiful ballet and music gifts to take home.
FA I RY
LAND
This performance lasts approximately 55 minutes in duration.
Managing Producer Sally McRae Technical Manager Bart Mangan Project Coordinator Aaron Dora Audio Operator Nathalie Devilliers
Queensland Ballet and Queensland Music Festival acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land on which we work and perform — the Turrabal and Yugara (Jagera) people. Long before we performed on the land, it played host to the dance expression of our First Peoples. We pay our respects to their Elders — past, present and emerging — and acknowledge the valuable contribution they have made and continue to make to the cultural landscape of this country. This program has been assisted by the generous support of Philip Bacon Galleries and Tim Fairfax AC. Queensland Music Festival is an initiative of the Queensland Government through Arts Queensland.