Family Opera: January 2004

Pinocchio

Pinocchio is a charming children's story and has now been turned into a children's opera. The opera is based on the children's classic by Carlo Collodi. Carl Zytowski, University of California at Santa Barbara, created the opera with music from Rossini's Sins of My Old Age.

Pinocchio starts out as a purely free, independent, impersonal spirit, but he has a lot of learning to do before he can become a real boy. Most of us know the story of Pinocchio from the Disney movie. While this movie is a classic, it fails to capture some of the charm of the original story. The story is not merely about a magical, naughty puppet, but it is also an allegory about families. Pinocchio runs away, falls in with thieves, fights with his friends, meets a monster and so much more, all the while, he doesn't know or care how much his father, Geppetto, loves him. In the end, Pinocchio realizes this, returns his father's love and he finally becomes a real boy.

Collodi, a 19th century, Italian journalist, wanted to write a children's story that emphasizes the traditional Italian value of the importance of family that he grew up with. "Who understands the beauty of Pinocchio understands Italy."





Cast:
Lewis Freeman, Gepetto
Katherine Osborne, Pinocchio
Cynthia Ballentine, Hostess
Amanda Gosier, Blue Haired Fairy
Don Phillip Bicoy, Fox
Colin Eaton, Owl
Marlissa Hudson, Cricket
Michael Nansel, Crow

John Edward Niles, Artistic Director/Conductor
Eugene Galvin, Stage Director
Elizabeth Bleil, Production Stage Manager