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A quick overview of Rachel Portman’s 2003 opera based on Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s timeless fairytale.

Premiered

2003

Music by

Rachel Portman

Libretto by

Nicholas Wright

Language

English

Novelist Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s The Little Prince (or Le Petit Prince, in the original French) may have gone down in literary history as a timeless fairytale about life, love, loss, and the power of memory, but it was actually inspired by true events. Sort of. Saint-Exupéry, an accomplished artist and author, was—much like the narrator of his Little Prince story—a trained pilot. Yet despite his skills in the air and his years of experience working as a flying mail carrier and a reconnaissance pilot for the French government during World War II, Saint-Exupéry sadly suffered several plane crashes throughout his career.

One particular crash in 1935 landed him in the Sahara, where he and his co-pilot were left alone (with limited supplies) for several days. Saint-Exupéry witnessed several mirages while out beneath the desert sun and reportedly met with several imaginary creatures he had hallucinated. Years later, while in New York seeking sanctuary from war-torn Europe, Saint-Exupéry refashioned his own desert adventures into a fantastic tale about a lonely pilot whose life is given new meaning when he meets a remarkable little boy from outer space.

Loved by children and grown-ups alike for its simple language, vivid illustrations (also created by Saint-Exupéry) and enduring message of finding joy even in the saddest of times, The Little Prince has provided material for several films and stage works since its original publication in 1943. And when acclaimed film composer Rachel Portman decided to take a break from her successful movie career to create an opera suitable for children, she turned to Saint-Exupéry’s famous tale for inspiration, eventually realizing it was the perfect story for a kid-friendly operatic endeavor.

Act I

A young pilot introduces himself to the audience. He explains how grown-ups never really understood him and that now, as an adult, he earns a living soaring through the sky. The stars sing to him as he glides through the air, but, despite the pleasant atmosphere, he suddenly loses control of his plane and crashes into the Sahara Desert.

The pilot looks over the damage and begins to try and fix the plane. But just as he grabs his tools, he’s interrupted by a small boy who curiously asks the pilot to draw a sheep. Though confused at first, the pilot comes to know the boy as “the Little Prince,” and, slowly, the prince reveals his unusual story.

We learn the prince was once the proud owner of a tiny asteroid, where he cared for a lovely rose whom he adored but who was also very difficult to please. She challenged him to leave his home and gain more wisdom in order to be able to take care of her better, and so… he set out to visit some neighboring planets. During his travels he met several strange adults, including a king, a vain man, a drunkard, a businessman, and a lamplighter. After meeting these men, the Little Prince—not quite satisfied with what he’d discovered so far—decided to journey to planet Earth.

Act II

The prince continues his story while the pilot listens. On Earth, the prince says, he met a slithering snake who claimed that his deadly poison could “ease” all the prince’s worries. The Little Prince then encountered a garden full of roses and cried at the thought that his own rose might merely be one out of a million other common flowers.

The prince resumes his tale. Soon after meeting the roses, he adds, he was comforted by a friendly fox. The fox, who begged the prince to tame her and make her his own, gently explained that everything worthwhile is invisible and that such things cannot be touched, but can only be felt with the heart. She also told him that the bonds of love are what make all things—including ordinary flowers—uniquely special.

The pilot then cuts off the prince’s story, saying that the two of them will need water if they are to continue to survive in the desert. Exhausted, they travel to a spot directly beneath the prince’s planet (which sits high in the night sky) and discover a well. As they collect cool water from the crystal-clear well, the pilot realizes his friendly affection for the prince and begins to understand the fox’s message.

Still, the prince longs to return to his rose as he has promised. Will the tired and weary Little Prince make it home? Will the pilot be able to keep the prince’s lessons in his heart if the Little Prince disappears?

Kennedy Center Education Digital Learning

Eric Friedman 
Director, Digital Learning

Kenny Neal 
Manager, Digital Education Resources

Tiffany A. Bryant 
Manager, Operations and Audience Engagement

JoDee Scissors 
Content Specialist, Digital Learning

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