A recent performance of Baby O in Scotland. Photo by Drew
Farrell.
Even opera-loving babies in Wanaka and Queenstown will be
catered for at this year's Festival of Colour.
The programme for the festival that runs from April 16 to 21
was released in Wanaka yesterday.
It includes familiar names such as Michael Houstoun, Don
McGlashan, Julia Deans and Emily Perkins.
But it also includes the Scottish Opera Company with its
Baby O show for 6 to 18-month-old children.
Festival director Philip Tremewan has seen the opera in
Scotland and Christchurch.
''The babies are just totally rapt. They follow the music,
they follow the sound and they follow the actions with their
eyes and their ears.''
The 35-minute opera was composed by Rachel Drury, who
Tremewan says is both a musician and an expert on child
development.
''She's keyed in the right sounds, the right words ... and
then there's the imagery - Buzzy Bees, washing going on the
line, all this sort of stuff.
''So it's perfect for little kids.''
Tremewan, who is also director of the Christchurch Arts
Festival, has been involved with Festival of Colour since its
inception and said he was always looking for new material.
He considers one of the highlights this year will be a
performance of Mike Oldfield's 1973 Tubular Bells LP.
The record was originally produced in a studio using about a
dozen different instruments.
The festival show has two Australian musicians - Daniel
Holdsworth and Aidan Roberts - frantically playing all the
instruments live.
There will also be a premiere performance by pianist Michael
Houstoun and soprano Jenny Wollerman, of songs from the past
200 years.
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