Name: The Boy Who Grew Too Fast
Start: 2021-12-28T00:00:00.000Z
End: 2022-01-08T00:00:00.000Z
Location: Cankarjev dom

Organization

Stage director

Eva Hribernik

Conductor

Jakob Barbo

Set designer

Jaro Jese

Singer

Rebeka Pregelj

Gospa Nada

Tenor

Klemen Torkar

Dr. Shrinck

Marko Erzar

Robber

Others

Glasbena matica Ljubljana Chamber Ensemble

CANKARJEV DOM CULTURE CENTRE

The Boy Who Grew Too Fast

Ljubljana

Slovenia

Cankarjev dom

Linhart Hall

The Boy Who Grew Too Fast Menotti

Public

Approved

Bass

Instrumentalist

Pianist

Violinist

Cellist

Violist

Flutist

Clarinetist

Guitarist

Organist

Percussionist

hornist

Oboist

Bassoonist

Trumpeter

Contrabassist

Trombonist

Harper

Saxophonist

Harpsichordist

Bassist

Accordionist

Tuba Player

Recorder Player

Lutenist

Tenor Violinist

Timpani

Mandoline Player

Baroque Flutist

Baroque Oboist

Baroque Trumpetist

Violino Piccolo Player

Viola da gamba

Musette de cour Player

Viola Pomposa Player

Archlutenist

Vibraphonist

Cornettist

Viola d’amore Player

Theorbist

Composer

Librettist

Costume designer

Choreographer

Lighting designer

Dancer

Actor

Chorus master

Video designer

Dramaturge

Translator

Sound designer

Repetiteur

Makeup artist

Executive producer

Hairstylist

Other

Stage Manager

Choir

Orchestra

Poet

Vocal coach

Teacher

Photographer

Broadcasting

Illustrator

Writer

Writing and performance

Chorus Director

Wig & Makeup Designer

Orchestra Operations

Extra

Mezzo-soprano

Contralto

Baritone

Countertenor

Bass-baritone

Soprano

Spoken

Child vocalist

Silent

Alto

Continuo

“The Boy Who Grew Too Fast” is a one-act opera for young people with music and libretto by Gian-Carlo Menotti. The work, written for soloists (adults and children), children's choir and chamber orchestra, remains Menotti's most popular opera for young audiences. A nine-year-old boy who has just moved to town is mocked by his classmates because of his immense size and his name, Poponel Skosvodomonit. Miss Hope, his new teacher, tells the boy of Dr Shrink, who has invented a shrinking machine. The mother takes the boy to the doctor, who says he will be able to help Poponel reach a normal size but at a price – the boy must conform to everyone else’s actions. When Mad Dog, a terrorist, comes to the school and demands a hostage, only Poponel volunteers. His act makes him grow until he overwhelms the terrorist. It is only then that he realizes his special height enables him to help people. Everyone's the way they are for a reason.
 

Composer Gian Carlo Menotti (1911–2007) is one of the most prominent representatives of American music of the 20th century. His contribution to opera was extraordinary, enabling it to flourish again in the unfavorable times of the avant-garde and bringing it closer to a wide audience. In 1939, he wrote the first opera for the radio medium, The Old Maid and the Thief, and even earlier, with the opera Amelie gre na ples, he became one of the most popular American composers. On the American continent, he is best known for the "Christmas opera" Amahl and the night visitors, which is also among the pioneering works written for the then new medium, television. He received the Pulitzer Prize twice for his creative work, namely for the opera with an unusual theme, Media, and for the engaging, still relevant music-theatre work Konzul, for which, as well as for all other operas, he wrote the text himself. 

Menotti was unique in addressing the youngest audience and thus wrote as many as six one-act operas for children. The opera Help, help Globolinks was commissioned by the Hamburg Opera, the rest were first performed on American stages, and soon became part of the repertoire of the world's music houses. The one-act opera The Boy Who Grew Too Fast is also among popular works. The emotional text, which was also written by the composer "inspired by his own experiences", highlights the problem of social inclusion and acceptance of differences. The composer deals with the great problems of most children during the period of growing up with all poetic sensitivity, and at the same time solves all complications and problems with curiosity and with children's imaginations and his own mischievousness.

English

The Boy Who Grew Too Fast by Menotti, From (2021/2022), Directed by Eva Hribernik,, Conductor Jakob Barbo, Cankarjev dom, Ljubljana, Slovenia

Performance credits (Cast & Crew )

Cast

Crew

Programme, About & Synopsis

Photos

Further reading

Performance Dates & Venues

Venues