All-ages ‘Jack & the Beanstalk’ opera fee-fi-fo-free

It will be a shush-free day at the Brandon Public Library when Manitoba Underground Opera presents a “for kids” operatic version of “Jack & the Beanstalk” and welcomes kids of all ages and their parents or guardians to this no-charge performance.

“Jack and the Beanstalk” is a 30-minute adaptation of the classic fairy tale. The libretto (story and lyrics) are by John Davies. The music is from the works of Arthur Sullivan (of Gilbert and Sullivan), making it a delightful and light-hearted introduction to opera.

“It’s pretty faithful to the story you know,” says Brendan McKeen, executive director at Manitoba Underground Opera.

“Jack and his mother are going hungry, so they decide they need to sell their cow. Jack finds somebody (Trouble-Man) who says: Oh, sell the cow for these magic beans! The beans grow into the beanstalk. Jack goes up … and he finds the giant.”

And that’s where the adventure begins.

The fee-fi-fo-fum will have its do-re-mi supplied by the three-party cast consisting of Jacqueline Arthur, mezzo-soprano, in dual roles as Mrs. Nimble/Giant’s Wife; Brady Barrientos, tenor, doing his first tour with the company as Jack Nimble; and Stephen Haiko-Pena, bass, as both Giant and Trouble-Man, who barters the beans with Jack. The musical accompaniment is an in-studio MUO pre-record.

The show will be staged on July 25 at 11 a.m. MUO last performed the show in 2018 which McKeen says “was a lifetime ago.”

“It is one of my favorite memories of all time,” he says.

“There’s a part where Jack is hiding and the giant smells him, but he’s like: ‘I don’t know where he is!’ And the kids were like: ‘Jack hide over there!’ This girl jumped up and literally went to the giant, and said: ‘He’s right there.’ And I thought, ‘Yes, this child is gonna go hard in life. She has chosen her side.’”

The show is free, something McKeen says is a strong commitment for the company. The MUO tours are no cost to hosting organizations or attendees and are supported by public grants and donations from music lovers.

“We say no matter who you are, no matter where you live, no matter what you can afford, you deserve access. So it’s totally free,” he says.

The performance will be followed with a Q&A, however he says most audiences are rather more excited for photo ops. And that’s OK, too, just no flash photography or video-recording during the show.

“You know what I think? Everybody should just experience it where they are and how they are. I keep hearing fun stories of people just being absolute maniacs, running around screaming like sugar-high little monsters. And then the second the music starts, they sit completely quietly and then they watch the whole thing mesmerized. Wherever you are in life, however you experience live performance — go ahead and go with it. It’s fun and it’s joy,” he says.

McKeen says he’s also been told that moms have brought their babies and then sit at the back where they can dance a little with them and listen to the music.

The company was hoping to get the show up north, but wildfires are challenging those plans. McKeen says they are sympathetic and are hoping to try and get to some places in September. The company will follow events and update their web page when they can confirm performances.

Once the beanstalk has been chopped down, families still have a few days to participate in another free event, also offered in a partnership with the library.

The Story Walk, featuring the delightful children’s book “Dear Street” by Toronto children’s book author Lindsay Zier-Vogel, is a get-you-up-and-go activity for the whole family that runs until July 31.

Pages from “Dear Street” are placed along the outdoor pathway starting at Crow’s General Store. Follow the story page-by-page while enjoying the fresh air and sunshine.

“Dear Street” tells the story of Alice, a little girl who loves her neighbourhood with its flowers and trees and colourful balconies. When she realizes that some of her neighbours feel grumpy about some construction, she decides to write a letter: “Dear Street …” and leaves it to be found by whoever passes by. The happy letter leads to smiles and more letters lead to more smiles …

The activity is presented by Prairie Mountain Health, the Brandon Public Library and Healthy Together Now. The route is about 250 metres long. Walkers will encounter some small hills and there will be directional signage to lead you. The start point is on the dike, just south of Crow’s General Store at 33 17th Street East.

Once you’re done, share some feedback by scanning the QR code on the last page of the story book. You’ll also be entered to win a fun prize pack.

» wendyjbking@gmail.com