Vasya Whitefeet
John Craton
About this work: An opera written for, and to be performed by, children. Based on the Russian-Romany tale of the same name, the work is designed for staging by youngsters with a modicum of musical ability. The work was commissioned by Sarah Beernink for the Muziekschool Noordwest Veluwe, Netherlands. The vocal lines are all composed within a preadolescent child’s range (c' to e-flat"). The opera (which is more of a musical play) is in one act with seven scenes which alternate between two settings that may be constructed on a single stage, requiring no actual changes of scenery. More information and excerpts are available at
www.craton.net/vasyawhitefeet. mp3s of the Sibelius playback can be found
here.
Year composed: 2006
Duration: 00:45:00
Ensemble type: Opera/Theater:Opera for Children
Instrumentation:
Instrumentation notes: Piano four-hands, violin, tambourine, triangle, large bodhran