The little prince
A symphonic poem for narrator & orchestra
Experience the timeless story of the Little Prince anew - in a gripping symphonic journey brought to life with a unique orchestral accompaniment and captivating narration.
The Little Prince - three formats, one experience
Discover the work in three customised formats: The opulent staged performance, the rousing short version for the time frame of an hour and the essential suite without narrator, which captures the musical quintessence of the work in just 20 minutes. This flexibility allows organisers to choose the concert project to suit their audience and venue.
Expanding the audience beyond traditional concertgoers
With its unique concept, The Little Prince project opens the doors to new target groups: The inclusion of a narrator makes it an experience for theatre lovers, the addition of a ballet appeals to opera-goers, and the literary basis appeals to schools. In this way, the concert reaches far more than just classical concertgoers.
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An intergenerational concert experience
With its family-friendly content, the work connects young and old, from families to experienced concert-goers. It pays homage to the timeless themes of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry and invites adults and young people to experience the story through the universal language of music.
Flexibility in the performance - minimalism to full cast
The adaptability of the project can be seen in the instrumentation: from an intimate chamber ensemble of just 11 musicians to a full orchestral arrangement. This enables organisers to realise the concert project regardless of the size of their venue and to deliver a moving sound quality to the audience.
Scenic version
The narrator takes the role of the pilot on stage and becomes the narrative centrepiece of our performance. The narrative is complemented by the ballet, which actively portrays the central characters - Prince, Rose, Fox, Snake - while other figures such as the King, the Vain Man, the Drunkard, the Businessman, the Lantern Lighter and the Geographer enrich the scene without stealing the focus. The musicians themselves become a living element of the stage set and in this way merge completely with the story, which they bring to life musically.
The work
Prologue
Our musical homage begins with a prologue dedicated to Leon Werth, the friend of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. In a short but impressive time, the music captures the deep affection and childlike innocence at the heart of the entire work.
I. The Prince
The first act takes us through the eyes of the Prince and opens up a world of messages about friendship and humanity. Stefan Plank's composition allows the listener to experience the prince's curiosity and wonder in a sound world full of colour and nuance.
II. The Rose
In this section, the delicate and complex relationship between the prince and the rose unfolds. Musically realised, the rose blossoms with lyrical melodies and embodies love and beauty as well as the thorns of life.
III. The journey
The prince's journey is musically narrated through encounters with characters with strong personalities. Each character carries his own melody, which together form a mosaic of life - sometimes cheerful, sometimes thoughtful.
IV. The Earth
On earth, the prince experiences adventures that the music depicts in epic breadth. From the profound dialogue with the fox to the comforting message of the well, each scene comes to life in a rich palette of musical expressions.
The little prince
Stefan Plank: Der Kleine Prinz — Kurzversion
Orchestration: for 2× speaker and Ensemble (10+ players) or Chamber Orchestra or Orchestra
Duration: 60'
The Little Prince, a Symphonic Poem by Stefan Plank for Orchestra and Narrator
See with your heart - Dream with your
ears
Analogous
to the wisdom of the fox in the story of
The Little Prince, who discovered that
one can only see well with the heart,
Stefan Plank one day found that he could
only dream well with his ears. In his
new work for orchestra and narrator, he
invites the audience to immerse
themselves in his dream world and to be carried
away by the sounds of his imagination.
The role of the narrator, as the pilot
and storyteller, as well as the option
of staging with dancers, opens a unique
level of perception.