Little Bear

Opera Domani celebrates its 30th edition with a new contemporary civic opera that explores the fragility of polar ecosystems, engaging children aged 6 to 14 in a journey of discovery and environmental awareness through the poetic and musical language of opera. For the 25/26 season, the opera will join Rigoletto in Opera Domani’s programs.

Little Bear and the Ice Mountain continues the journey dedicated to environmental sustainability that began with the first civic work, Acquaprofonda, commissioned by Giovanni Sollima and Giancarlo de Cataldo and which since 2020 has engaged, educated, and inspired children from Bolzano to Messina on the topic of water pollution.

Little Bear and the Ice Mountain

Music Giovanni Sollima
Libretto Giancarlo De Cataldo
Ricercare Editions, in collaboration with Edizioni AsLiCo

Director Lorenzo Ponte
Set Designer Alice Benazzi
Costumes Giulia Rossena
Choreography Livia Bartolucci
Lighting Designer Emanuele Agliati
Assistant Stage Designer Maddalena Parodi

Conductor Julia Cruz

Orchestra 1813

New Commission
Production Fondazione Teatro La Fenice and AsLiCo
In co-production with Opéra Grand Avignon and the Festival de Granada

Civic Opera Domani – 30th Edition

THE PLOT

Two young polar bear cubs, Little Bear and Little Bear, are separated during a fishing trip due to melting ice. While she finds refuge with the Ice Queen, he encounters Snoweater, a shady salesman intent on turning the area into an amusement park. In their attempts to reunite, the two siblings face dangers and unexpected encounters, discovering that only together, with the support of the audience singing along, can they heal the Ice Mountain, threatened by pollution and human greed.

EDUCATION

Since 2025, the International Year of Glacier Protection proclaimed by UNESCO and the opening of the Decade dedicated to the Cryosphere, Little Bear offers a unique educational program that combines music, science, and sustainability. The contribution of the CNR Institute of Polar Sciences has been crucial from the very beginning, enriching the project with scientifically accurate educational content and firsthand accounts from the world of research.