Courier-Journal
A beautiful, weird book adapted from Sergei Prokofiev's opera.
STLtoday.com
A very silly, very surreal opera and a very amusing one.
Publishers Weekly
This picture-book version of Prokofiev's opera kicks off the Musical Stories series. Polish illustrator Gaudasinska endearingly renders the depressed Prince who needs to laugh, the witch who sentences him to fall in love with a trio of oranges and the rest of Prokofiev's cast as long-nosed wooden puppets. Their stiff-legged poses, along with the crisp-edged silhouettes, folk motifs and sunny watercolor wash convey the artificiality of a theatrical production with classic harlequin wit. The text, by contrast, falters. The lengthy narrative feels flat-footed, even in moments of what should be high comedy: "[The witch] tripped over the hems of her layered skirts and promptly ended up on the floor in front of the Prince,... her absurd stripy knickers exposed for all to see." And, as to one of the opera's running gags the argument of two factions of spectators over what course the opera should take, and their attempts to hijack the performance? Alas, the subplot doesn't make it into print, and the nature of the "audience" mentioned on the first and last pages is never made clear. It's not easy to turn an opera into a book. But perhaps young readers will be so busy inspecting Gaudasinska's imaginative work that they won't mind the awkward text. Ages 7-9. (Sept.) Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.
Children's Literature
- Elisabeth Greenberg
An eager audience gathers to watch a play in this exquisitely illustrated picture book retelling Sergei Prokofiev's opera. First in a series of musical stories designed to interest young children in classical music, the illustrations, which reference Italy's commedia dell'arte in costume and mask, tell the fairytale story of a melancholy prince for whom the court doctors prescribe laughter. A gathering of clowns fail to amuse him, but the spectacular entrance of a witch, who falls flat on her face and reveals her striped knickers, causes the prince and then the court to burst into laughter. Soon, like Sleeping Beauty's unwelcome christening guest, the witch curses the prince into loving three huge oranges and whisks him away with the court jester to a barren desert. The court wizard appears to tell them how to resolve their problem—to distract the mad cook with a waving wand, seize the oranges, and open them near water. But the plan goes awry when the thirsty clown opens an orange in the middle of the desert and a princess, in need of water, emerges. In an escalating series of unfortunate events, the final princess whom the Prince promises to marry is turned into a rat, which he views with distaste but is honor-bound to marry. In a classic fairytale finish, the rat turns back into a beautiful princess, the witch disappears, and the happy prince and princess live in peace and prosperity ever after. The superb illustrations in a muted palette of greens, yellows, and oranges tell the story far better than the leaden text. Parents and adult readers might choose to tell the story through the illustrations—which children will love for their playfulness and humor—ratherthan reading the text as written.
School Library Journal
Gr 1-5-This unusual story of a melancholy prince, cursed to fall in love with three oranges, will be unfamiliar to most children, though it is Prokofiev's most-often-performed opera. It opens and closes with remarks to the audience by Pantaloon, a clownish figure dressed in the style of Italian commedia dell'arte. In between readers meet a sick, then lovesick prince; a worried king; a merry court jester; a helpful wizard; a vicious witch with evil assistants; a giant cook; and, of course, a beautiful princess. The strange tale is matched by Gaudasinska's modern, somewhat surreal illustrations. The muted palette of salmony pink, burnt orange, and limey green is distinctive. The long-nosed, round-eyed characters are lively and appealing. The first volume in the series, this book will be especially useful for music teachers introducing opera to young audiences.-Robin L. Gibson, Granville Parent Cooperative Preschool, OH Copyright 2006 Reed Business Information.
Kirkus Reviews
There's no getting around the surreal, mosaic quality of this tale, with its odd juxtapositions and dream illogic. But it made a fun opera, and it makes a rather delightful tale for children, too. There's a prince who has never laughed, but he laughs at the sight of the witch Fata Morgana's knickers (which are orange, ruffled and covered with amoeboid shapes). She is not pleased, and curses him to fall in love-with three oranges. Those oranges contain princesses, it turns out, two of whom perish for lack of moisture. Fata Morgana turns the third into a rat (briefly), but she's restored, the witch banished and a wedding takes place. Gaudasinska's peachy illustrations are just right: a palette of green gold, brown and orange; rounded forms with elongated limbs and doll- or mask-like faces; an absurd sense of proportion and space. Children (and adults) willing to set aside logic for a time will enjoy themselves mightily. (Picture book. 5-9)
