One Act, School Touring, Family-Friendly, No Chorus, Piano Only

COMPOSER: CLARICE ASSAD
LIBRETTIST: LILA PALMER

Commissioned by American Lyric Theater in Partnership with Opera Saratoga

At the edge of the village was a large lovely garden with soft green grass and beautiful flowers like stars. And every afternoon, as they were coming from school, the children used to go and play in the garden. But the garden belongs to a giant who had been away for many years. When he returns, the giant is outraged to see the children enjoying themselves on his land — so he builds a big wall to keep them out! But the wall keeps out more than the children, and the garden falls into perpetual winter as the Selfish Giant finds himself isolated and all alone.

 

Based on the classic story by Oscar Wilde, THE SELFISH GIANT has been developed for elementary school touring programs. The themes of THE SELFISH GIANT are so important today, including what it means to be other/excluded and gain an awareness of others’ realities, the responsibility we have to share our resources, and how the walls we build to protect ourselves from fear divide us further. Through a beloved fairy tale, young audiences (and those who are young at heart!) are taken on a magical journey about the power that kindness has to transform and that empathy has to bridge the gap between who we appear to be and who we indeed are.

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