Category: Factual
& Arts TV; ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½
Talent; Wales
Date: 21.10.2004
Printable version
A new generation
of young performers make their opera debut in Francesca Zambello's spectacular
film of The Little Prince on ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ TWO on 27 November 2004.
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Discovered at ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Talent's nationwide auditions this
summer, 11-year-old Joseph McManners takes the lead role of the Little
Prince and 15-year-old Mairead Carlin plays the Rose.
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They join a cast of 35 children alongside Lesley Garrett,
Aled Jones and Willard White in Antoine De Saint–Exupery's much-loved
story of a little boy's odyssey across the universe and his encounters
along the way with some extraordinary characters.
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More than 25,000 children applied to take part in the
Little Prince scheme, with 6,500 hopefuls attending workshops across
the UK and the final 40 attending a residential summer school at Sadlers
Wells where they received expert tuition in vocal training, dance, movement
and theatrical and film techniques.
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Sony Music will be releasing a CD and DVD of The Little
Prince on Monday 29 November.
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The Little Prince is adapted for opera by Oscar-winning
composer Rachel Portman with Nicholas Wright writing the libretto.
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It is a ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Wales production for ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ TWO.
Lesley Garrett, who plays The Fox, says: "The Little Prince scheme
has brought opera into the lives of thousands of children who would
never have never normally have had any experience of it.
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"The talent of these children, the quality and
strength of their performance, is astounding. I hope to hear a lot more
from them in the future."
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Angela Wallis, from ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Talent, says: "Each of
the children selected is an exceptionally gifted performer with that
spark which really makes them stand out.
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"We have an amazing mix of children most of whom
have never even come across opera before now."
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ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Talent is the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½'s ongoing campaign to discover
and nurture raw talent.
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Details of all schemes can be found on bbc.co.uk/talent.
