Victorian Opera to Present World Premiere of THE SELFISH GIANT

The Victorian Opera's Youth Opera will put on world premiere production based on Oscar Wilde's The Selfish Giant.

The new work is written by librettist Emma Muir-Smith and composer/conductor Simon Bruckard who will return to the Victorian Opera.

In a press statement Muir-Smith said, "I felt it was a story with a lot of dramatic potential that would translate well for the stage. 'The Selfish Giant' is a story about generosity and community. At its heart, though, it's also a story about the importance of trying to understand one another - something that, for so many reasons, could not be more important right now."

Bruckard added, "Writing a piece for young people to perform has been an enormously rewarding experience. The music for 'The Selfish Giant' goes through a huge range of styles, from cabaret to folk song, peaceful stillness to driving aggressive rhythms. Different characters inhabit quite different musical worlds. Finding the music that conveys the story's humor, innocence and depth has been an absolute joy."

Performances are scheduled for October 16 through 19, 2019 at the Gasworks Arts Park.