The Little Green Road To FairyLand

A vintage Australian children’s book, long out of print, has been brought back to life through a magical new composition and dance theatre work for this centrepiece event of QMF 2011.

Two of Australia’s top-tier creative practitioners – composer Elena Kats-Chernin and director/choreographer Rosetta Cook – have together crafted a new interpretation of the 1922 whimsy, The Little Green Road to Fairyland.

This world premiere work comprises a superb musical score enhanced for live performance by dance, movement, physical theatre, song and narration. Featuring the stunning vocals of Katie Noonan and narrated by Christine Johnston, this QMF commission blurs conventional boundaries of family entertainment with its simultaneous embrace of make-believe storytelling, contemporary music and dance.

The tale is set against an Australian bush backdrop and tells of a fairy questing to return from the mortal world to Fairyland after relinquishing fairyhood for human form. Live on stage, the QMF Chamber Ensemble conducted by Sarah-Grace Williams, performs Kats-Chernin’s exquisite score while Brisbane’s leading dancer/performers help tell the story through Cook’s enchanting choreography. Inspired by its delicately water-coloured source material, the performance will be presented with a charmingly lo-fi 1920s theatrical feel evoked by footlights, shadow play and period costuming.

Narrator Christine Johnston /
Soprano Katie Noonan /

Director/Choreographer Rosetta Cook /
Composer Elena Kats -Chernin/
Dramaturg/Writer John Haag /
Designer Jonathon Oxlade /
Design interpretation Maria Cleary Design Pty Ltd /
Cutter/costume maker
Gayle MacGregor /
Lighting designer Dan Black /

Dancers Megan Futcher / Clint Bolster / Dan Crestani / Chelsea Gildea / Annastacia McCallum / Kimberley Semple / Neridah Waters / Shane Weatherby

Qld Music Festival Chamber Ensemble
supplied by Southern Cross Soloists
Conductor Sarah-Grace Williams /
Oboe TANIA FRAZER /
Clarinet Lloyd Van’t Hoff /
Bassoon Sarah Wagner /
Piano Kevin Power /
Flute Patrick Nolan /
Percussion Brent Miller /
Violin Rachel Smith /
Cello Louise King /
Double bass Justin Bliss

WATCH ON YOUTUBE: The Little Green Road to Fairyland Creative Development

READ BLOG: Illustrations in The Little Green Road

Read Critical mass blog: Little Green Road to Joy
The Little Green Road to Fairyland

Presented by Queensland Music Festival, Brisbane City Council and Philip Bacon Galleries.

This project has been assisted by the Australian Government through the Australia Council, its arts funding and advisory body.

Performances of The Little Green Road to Fairyland score written by Elena Kats-Chernin are given with permission by Hal Leonard Australia Pty Ltd, exclusive agents for Boosey & Hawkes of Germany.

The book, The Little Green Road to Fairyland was originally written by Annie R. Rentoul and illustrated by Ida Rentoul Outhwaite.