French author and military pilot Antoine Saint-Exupéry published his book “The Little Prince” in 1943. With its otherworldly story revolving around a boy who lives alone on a tiny planet, and its message of listening to one’s heart, it became a classic and one of the best-selling books of all time.
This week, Resonance Works stages the Pittsburgh premiere of a 2003 opera adapted from the book by Oscar-winning composer Rachel Portman and librettist Nicholas Wright. The production features acclaimed 12-year-old, Latrobe-based classical vocalist Victory Brinker in the title role, alongside a live orchestra and the Pittsburgh Youth Chorus.
The show opens Fri., Nov. 22, at the Andrew Carnegie Free Library & Music Hall, in Carnegie, with a second show Sunday.
The opera came to Pittsburgh thanks to discussions between New York-based director Keturah Stickann and Resonance Works artistic director Maria Sensi Sellner.
“The book was very dear to me as a child,” said Keturah. “The older you get the deeper the meaning of the book is.”
The book centers on the child protagonist’s relationship with characters including the rose with whom he is in love, and the pilot who crash-lands on his small planet. The prince travels to other planets and meets other characters, including a fox and a snake, who guide him on his journey.
“It is only with the heart that one can see rightly,” wrote Saint-Exupéry. “What is essential is invisible to the eye.”
“This whole notion of ‘listen with the heart’ and learning who you need to be, and who you want to be with, is really important,” said Keturah.
Brinker described her character as “a friendly space boy, he’s curious, he’s a little bit naïve.”
The cast also features local-favorite baritone Daniel Teadt as the Pilot, who is the show’s narrator. An ensemble of eight singers take all the other roles. Performers also include 26 members of the Pittsburgh Youth Chorus, who are onstage for much of the show. The score is performed live by the 24-piece Resonance Chamber Orchestra.
Brinker is known for making a sensation, at age 9, in a series of 2021 appearances on NBC TV game show “America’s Got Talent.” She’s since performed on other network- and cable-TV platforms.
Her association with Resonance Works goes back to her starring role in the troupe’s 2022 holiday-season staging of “Amahl and the Night Visitors.”
“We thought [‘Little Prince’] would be a wonderful opportunity to work with Victory again,” said Sellner.
Composer Portman won an Oscar for her score for the 1996 Gwyneth Paltrow film “Emma.” She has also scored dozens of other films and TV projects, including “The Cider House Rules,” “Chocolat” and “One Day.”
Sellner, who’ll direct the orchestra, describes the music in “The Little Prince” as “very cinematic,” with themes for each character.
The show runs two hours with an intermission.
