hall
Artists
Credits
Libretto by Samuil Marshak and Igor Pol’sky
Conductor: Pyotr Belyakin
Stage Director: Oleg Averyanov
Stage Designer: Vladimir Ivanov
1 hour 10 minutes
one interval
performed in Russian
Première of the production: 9 May 1971
Revival of the production: 11 February 1988
The Novosibirsk opera and ballet theatre (NOVAT) presents “The Wooden House” opera for children by composer Igor Pol’sky in the concert hall. Young theatre goers will set off on a journey to a fantasy forest and will become participants of merry adventures together with playful characters — Mouse, Frog, Fox, Rooster, Bear and Wolf. This production will become the first knowledge of the world of theatre for many small visitors of the NOVAT.
Act I
On the blossoming meadow among the daisies there is a beautiful wooden house. A Frog appears on the meadow. She sees the house and knocks on the door. Nobody answers, and the Frog stays to live in the wooden house.
A Mouse comes to the meadow. She likes the house. The Frog invites the merry Mouse to the house.
A handsome Rooster carrying a score appears on the meadow — he is a good singer. The Frog and the Mouse like the way he sings, and they are glad to invite the Rooster to their house.
A thorny Hedgehog appears among the daisies. Among the animals he is known as a good builder. And the Hedgehog duly appreciates the beautiful and comfortable house. The hosts of the house accept him as a part of their family.
Suddenly a Wolf arrives. He knocks on the door of the house and orders to open the door. But the owners of the house — the Frog, the Mouse, the Rooster, and the Hedgehog — don’t let the gray bandit in. The Wolf threatens them.
In the dense forest, the Red Fox is preening herself, brushing her tail. The Wolf runs in. He tells his girlfriend about the wooden house on the meadow and promises her a tasty dinner, if she helps to open the door of the house. The Red Fox suggests taking with them the strong and frightful Bear. And here he comes from the forest. The Wolf and the Fox promise the Beat tasty pies and Rooster’s giblets, if he demolishes the house.
The Bear agrees and the bandits set off to attack the wooden house.
Act II
Here is the wooden house. The Bear knocks on the door. The Wolf reclines against the door, the Bear reclines against the Wolf. Something is cracking. The Bear is happy: he thinks that the door has cracked, but it was the Wolf’s spine. The Wolf barely could run away.
The stupid Bear notices a narrow slot in the door and decides to go through it. Of cause, he gets stuck. The Fox, the cunning liar, who promised to help the Bear, flees. The Bear is frightened. He manages to get free and runs away to the forest.
The Fox invents a new cunning plan. With a flattering song she lures the Rooster from the house, puts him into the sack and runs away. The Rooster calls out for help. The Frog, the Mouse and the Hedgehog run out of the wooden house. The brave Hedgehog wasting no time chases the Red Fox.
In the forest. Trying to save herself from the Hedgehog, she hides the sack with the Rooster and hides herself. The Hedgehog finds the Fox and gets her from her shelter. The Red Fox is defeated. She begs for mercy and returns the Rooster, who feels sorry that he listened to her flattery.
The inhabitants of the house sing a merry song friendship that helped to win the mighty foes.