Sections: Information | Description
Information
- Music by Jean Sibelius arranged by Peter Ash
- Text adapted by Donald Sturrock
- Productions:
- Camerata St. Petersburg, Hermitage, St. Petersburg, Russia – 1996 (World premiere)
- London Schools Symphony Orchestra, Barbican, London, UK – 2004 (UK premiere)
- Finnish National Opera – May, 2015 (Finnish premiere – details)
- London Schools Symphony Orchestra, Royal Festival Hall, London, UK – February 15, 2016 (details)
- London Schools Symphony Orchestra, Barbican, London, UK – September 21, 2016 (details)
- Based on:
For more information, see Music Link International.
Description
The Minpins is an adaptation of Roald Dahl’s last story, which was published after his death. A small boy is drawn into a frightening forest, where he encounters many dangers and surprises as well as a world of tiny people, the Minpins, who live in safety, high up in the trees. Through a combination of skill and heroism, and a flight on the back of a great white swan, the boy defeats a terrifying monster, before bidding a sad and poignant farewell to his new friends.
The story, combined with elements from the Finnish epic legend, the Kalevala, is narrated over a score taken from the orchestral music of Sibelius. Created with the enthusiastic support of the Sibelius Estate in Helsinki, The Minpins received a rapturous reception at its English and Russian language premieres in St. Petersburg in 1996.
