"Sergei Prokofiev's
fanciful musical tale "Peter and the Wolf" is given new life in this
innovative new animated interpretation, which won the 2008 Oscar® for
Best Animated Short Film. "Oldies will remember the work from school
music lessons," wrote London's OBSERVER, "while those coming to the
story for the first time will be delighted with this darkly comic
modernization." Originally composed in 1936, the piece famously uses
personified instruments in the orchestra to tell the story -- also
penned by the composer -- of young Peter and his animal friends the
Duck, the Bird, and even a mischievous Cat (represented by an oboe,
flute, and clarinet respectively). Peter, himself represented by the
string section, becomes an unsuspecting hero and outwits the Wolf
(French horns), who's intent on menacing his small Russian village --
not to mention Peter's beloved animal friends. Conceived and directed
by award-winning animator Suzie Templeton, this modern-day "Peter &
the Wolf" uses stop-frame model animation, puppets, and digital
photography to retell the enduring classic story, and features the
Philharmonia Orchestra under the direction of Mark Stephenson
performing Prokofiev's beloved score.
Mark Stephenson also helmed the Philharmonia Orchestra for the film's
live world premiere at London's Royal Albert Hall in September 2006.
The Philharmonia was founded in 1945, primarily as a recording
orchestra. It is the world's most recorded orchestra with more than
1,000 releases and is comprised of more than 80 musicians giving
concerts in London and at its residencies and other venues around the
U.K., in addition to touring all over the world."
