This production by the British Youth Opera brings a fairy tale story of two young siblings left adrift in a river and their mother locked up in the sewers of the castle by the Queen Mother. The brings the adventure of the now grown children and their journey to discover their identity.
The music by Johnathan Dove is modern but with sufficient tuneful passages to keep the interest. Though it lacks a little variety until the the mad dash to resolve all the plot strands in Act III. There are themes of vanity and overt nastiness but they are all handled with lightness and fun. The minimal set evoke as sense of magic and fairy tale and there is an imaginative use of puppets, especially in the first scene told through a crystal ball. The singing is reasonable with surprisingly good acting. Stand out singers are Dominick Felix as Brighella and Emma Kerr as Ninetta, both with clear, piecing vocals. A good production and pleasantly enjoyable music and story.
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