Tobias Picker's "Fantastic Mr. Fox" at Emerald City Opera

Colorado’s Emerald City Opera presents two performances of Tobias Picker’s beloved family opera Fantastic Mr. Fox in a production directed by Erica Olden and conducted by Robert Frankenberry. The production features Picker’s delightful 7-player chamber arrangement of the opera, with performances August 12 and 13 at The Larson Barn in Steamboat Springs, CO.Hailed as “captivating and witty” (The Wall Street Journal), Picker’s Fantastic Mr. Foxdebuted in its original full orchestral version in 1998 with the Los Angeles Opera. A modern fable, Fantastic Mr. Fox is a story about good vs. evil, animal vs. human, and nature vs. technology. “There are a lot of grown-up elements in this opera, even though it’s for children and adults,” says Picker. “[Dahl] had a wicked imagination.”Emerald City Opera’s production, headed by Artistic Director Andres Cladera, features Scott Ballantine in the title role, with Christina Hazen as Mrs. Fox and the trio of Timothy Madden, William Ottow and Todd Resseguie as Boggis, Bunce and Bean. Set design is by Johnmichael Bohach and costumes are designed by Anna Piano.Further details can be found at emeraldcityopera.com.For more information on Tobias Picker and Fantastic Mr. Fox, visit schott-music.com.