ABOUT
For Four singers, Piano, and Optional Hand Percussion
Commissioned by Houston Grand Opera and developed in partnership with American Lyric Theater
Opera in one act
LIBRETTO BY DAVID JOHNSTON. This 45-minute opera for youth audiences fuses together folktales from around the world to tell the story of Monkey and his brainy sister, Francine. The siblings must learn to cooperate to escape a hungry crocodile and outwit the greedy Lord of the Tigers. Combining multiple styles of music from Bollywood, Ethiopian jazz, Latin, and classical, this opera shares the timeless message that we all have different strengths, but when we work together, anything is possible.
Press
“This little gem may have been composed with children in mind, but its creators, composer Kamala Sankaram and librettist David Johnston, know that being kid-friendly doesn’t mean dumbed-down. Drawing from sources that range from Indianand Chinese mythology, William Blake and Bollywood to Ethiopian jazz, the libretto was sophisticated and fresh, whilethe music was witty and eclectic. You tapped your toes and found yourself singing along whenever ‘Crocodile Crunch’ or‘Monkey Royal Family’ was reprised. Sets and costumes would have been great, but who needed them with this great castand a cool bongo player.”
-Rick Perdian, Seen and Heard International
Past Productions
Houston Grand Opera
Seattle Opera
TriCities Opera
Seagle Festival
Vanderbilt University
William Paterson University
Binghamton University
