About the work
Die verzauberte Stadt is a family opera by the Australian-born, Germany-based composer Samuel Penderbayne, with a libretto by Susanne Lütje and Anne X. Weber, loosely based on Edith Nesbit's 1907 fantasy novel The Enchanted Castle. It was created for the Junge Opern Rhein-Ruhr cooperation and had its world premiere on 31 May 2026 at the Aalto-Theater in Essen, conducted by Michael Zlabinger and directed by Louisa Proske.
Plot
The boy Philip builds himself a small city out of toys and books. One night the figures come to life, and Philip and his stepsister find themselves caught up in events. To save the enchanted city, the two must complete three tasks that call for courage and imagination.
Cultural significance
The opera is the first stage adaptation of Nesbit's adventure novel and is aimed at audiences aged eight and up. It blends musical-theatre and classical operatic sound worlds and adds to a growing number of contemporary family operas jointly developed by Rhine-Ruhr houses.