Author(s): Elzbieta Gaudasinska (Illustrator); Sergei Prokofiev

Drama/Theatre/Plays

The magical surrealism of the famous opera The Love for Three Oranges is vividly depicted in this pictorial adaptation, designed to create an awareness of classical music among young children. Combining humor, sorrow, fantasy, and a bit of the grotesque, this fanciful story tells the tale of a prince whose melancholy can only be cured by a hearty laugh. In order to break through his gloom, the king plans a splendid feast and orders the court jester, Truffaldino, to appear and cheer up his son. When the prince finally lets out a guffaw, he incurs the wrath of Fata Morgana, a malicious witch who curses him with an undeniable passion for three oranges--oranges that he must chase to the ends of the earth.