In the rarified world of contemporary opera, few sub-categories are as obscure as that of operas written specifically for children. It's a genre that, in the second half of the 20th century, at least, had something of a flowering, with contributions from composers like Britten, Menotti, Henze, Davies, and numerous lesser composers whose works are designated "school operas" and are generally performed as part of the outreach of opera companies with the goal of introducing school-age children to the concept of sung drama. An ...
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In the rarified world of contemporary opera, few sub-categories are as obscure as that of operas written specifically for children. It's a genre that, in the second half of the 20th century, at least, had something of a flowering, with contributions from composers like Britten, Menotti, Henze, Davies, and numerous lesser composers whose works are designated "school operas" and are generally performed as part of the outreach of opera companies with the goal of introducing school-age children to the concept of sung drama. An even more arcane subgenre is that of the children's opera written to be sung by children, which, with the exception of very few works like Britten's The Golden Vanity, seem destined to be of interest almost exclusively to the performers and their parents and perhaps some of their peers. Ronald Corp's The Ice Mountain, a substantial work lasting almost an hour and requiring young singers of unusual discipline and sophistication, may not find a broad general audience, but it's an...
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