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The Performance Begins (2 Jan 2010)

The Opera is loosely based on William Shakespeare's The Winter's Tale, which revolves around King Leontes, ruler of Sicily. Naturally, the performance is sung in Italian.

Suspicious of infidelity between his wife - Hermione - and the visiting King Polixenes of Bohemia, Leontes makes attempts to have his fellow king poisoned. This plan fails and Polixenes escapes from Sicily promptly. In his anger, Leontes chooses to imprison his pregnant wife.

Our performance differs from the play when Queen Hermione gives birth to a son rather than a daughter. The boy is suspected to be Polixenes' illegitimate son; he is given the name Perdito and sent away to live an anonymous life on the coast of Bohemia, raised by Shepherds.

The final act before intermission takes place 18 years later in the court of King Polixenes; he has been informed that his daughter - Princess Florizel - has fallen in love with a lowly shepherd boy.

The act draws to an end with the King resolving to disguise himself as a peasant and travel to the coast, where he will seek out the shepherd boy who has secured his daughter's affections. Curtain close.