Where The Wild Things Are/Higglety Pigglety Pop DVD – Karen Beardsley, Bernard Bennet

This Glyndebourne double bill of Where The Wild Things Are and Higglety Pigglety Pop! is the result of the collaboration between one of Britain’s foremost composers Oliver Knussen with the vivid magical images of American artist and author Maurice Sendak. Together they have evoked a very special form of theatre – fantasy opera. The antics of young Max and his journey to the Land of the Wild Things and Jennie the Sealyham terrier’s search for something more than everything are set against beautifully intricate designs which adhere faithfully to the illustrations in the famous children’s books by Maurice Sendak. The music is skilfully orchestrated with an unerring ability to depict fantasy characters and scenarios – a rare fusion of wit and lyricism. In Where The Wild Things Are Karen Beardsley sings the role of Max and Cynthia Buchan takes the role of the terrier Jennie in Higglety Pigglety Pop! Other singers include: Andrew Gallacher Rosemary Hardy Hugh Hetherington Neil Jenkins Mary King Jeremy Munro Stephen Rhys-Williams Deborah Rees and Stephen Richardson. Oliver Knussen conducts The London Sinfonietta in these performances which were first shown on BBC TV in 1985.