Description
Prokofiev weaves spells with Peter and the Wolf, narrated by John Bell, the misadventures of Lieutenant Kijé and the Fifth Piano Concerto.
Peter and the Wolf speaks to the child in us all: daring, goodhearted and just a tad rebellious. Prokofiev’s voice comes through in this much-loved symphonic fairytale with its entertaining, characterful music and his laconic narration. Another story begins the concert: a cinematic tale of bureaucratic bungles and an invented scapegoat who takes on a life of his own – birth, death, even marriage – all to Prokofiev’s sentimental yet sparkling soundtrack. These adventures frame the unusual Fifth Piano Concerto, with its five movements, almost balletic in character, shimmering like a string of finely cut jewels.
Prokofiev
Lieutenant Kijé: Suite
Piano Concerto No.5
The Ugly Duckling, for voice and orchestra
Peter and the Wolf
John Bell appears courtesy of Bell Shakespeare Company.