Search - Mark D. / Hornzy, Andrew Goldman, Daniel Taylor, Emma Baasch :: The Queen, The Bear, The Bumblebee

There's a simple way of looking at Dini Petty's The Queen, the Bear, & the Bumblebee, and that's as an exquisitely old-fashioned spin on the it's-not-easy-being-green sentiment, with a fanciful fairytale trio substituting for Kermit the Frog. To tune in for the simple pleasure of its story, though, would be to miss the point--something parallel to attending a performance of Peter and the Wolf with earplugs in. For here is a well-woven roundup of gentle, expressive classical compositions (all originals), sweep-you-off-your-feet operatic performances, and inventive but never overly clever lyrics reminiscent of classic nursery rhymes. Petty, a Canadian talk show host, penned the poem, about a queen, a bear, and a bumblebee each granted a wish. The queen, bored with royalty, wishes for wings; the bear, sick of his hair, wants to be a man; and the bee, yellow and fat and O.K. with that despite his companions' critiques, just wants to be himself. When a greedy thief threatens to wipe out the trio, only the bee is self-aware enough to defend himself. He winds up for the sting of the century and saves the day, afterward cashing in his still-unused wish to return his friends to their former selves. Petty's well-paced narration floats over compositions by celebrated jazz producer Mark Goldman and Andrew Homzy; internationally renowned countertenor Daniel Taylor soaringly sings the songs of the bee; mezzo-soprano Erin Thrall performs majestically to befit the queen; and bass Luc Saucier lends gravity to the bear's song. With so much to sew together, this project's most prize-worthy feat is its simple-seeming final product; producer Goldman commands major kudos. For kids 4 and up, The Queen, the Bear, & the Bumblebee is an eminently buzz-worthy breath of fresh air. --Tammy La Gorce