If there ever were to be a metaphor for 2025 – a crash landing, a being from outer space, the clash between business and the arts, and the desire to own things that simply aren’t for sale – The Little Prince opera would capture it all.
Combine the magic of Pacific Opera Victoria with enchanting melodies and a brilliant storyline, and you have a production that brings Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s beloved 1943 classic to life.
“The piece inspires us to have hope, to think about goodness, patience, and how to be better,” says Brenna Corner, Pacific Opera Victoria’s artistic director, and The Little Prince’s stage director.
“It’s a story that invites the audience to reflect on their own journeys.”
And journeys there are.
The story begins with an aviator crash-landing in the Sahara Desert, where he meets the Little Prince, a mysterious boy who shares tales of his journey through whimsical planets inhabited by symbolic characters like a vain man, a king, and a businessman who sings about the joys of counting things that twinkle in the sky and plotting ways to own the stars themselves.
Each encounter offers insights into human behaviour, while the Little Prince’s love for a single rose on his home planet teaches him about relationships, responsibility, and care.
On Earth, he befriends a Fox, who imparts the profound lesson: “What is essential is invisible to the eye.”
With a score by Rachel Portman and a brilliant libretto by Nicholas Wright, The Little Prince is a rich tapestry on many levels, appealing to young audiences and adults alike.
“One of my big goals with the company is to work on different ways to get youth on stage,” says Corner.
That goal is fulfilled beautifully by Callum Spivack and Jake Apricity Hetherington, who alternate in the role of the Little Prince.
Hetherington, at just nine years old, is already a seasoned performer, having appeared on Netflix’s Virgin River and Hallmark’s Three Wiser Men and a Boy, as well as in Vancouver Opera’s Carmen and A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
Meanwhile, Spivack’s commanding stage presence and focus bring strength to the character, offering a unique interpretation of the role.
The Victoria Children’s Choir plays a vital role in the production, embodying stars and birds with celestial voices that bring light and magic to the stage.
“There’s a lot of conversation in the show about how we light up worlds and light up darkness,” Corner says.
With the ensemble of adults cycling through roles like the Fox and Snake, the chorus acting as stars, and the whole production aided by puppetry, the opera creates an experience that literally transcends this world.
In the end, The Little Prince is about love and responsibility. It’s also about the magic of seeing the world through a child’s eyes, where even the simplest things can be filled with wonder and meaning.
“There’s so much beauty in the way kids see the world,” Corner says. “And my hope is that, when audiences leave the piece, they remember that.”
See The Little Prince at the Royal Theatre, with performances scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 19; Friday, Feb. 21; Sunday, Feb. 23; and Tuesday, Feb. 25. Learn more at pacificopera.ca
