Peter and the Wolf is a tone poem written by Sergei Prokofiev in 1936. Performed with narration, it tells the story of a boy named Peter who is warned by his grandfather not to venture beyond his home for fear of being attacked by wolves. The fearless Peter defies his grandfather, by venturing out to catch one on his own with the help of some animal friends. Each character in the story is represented by a group of instruments in the orchestra which assist in telling the story.
Adaptations[]
- The 1989 book and tape set Meet Big Bird's Orchestra features a selection from the musical.
- The Muppet Babies episode "Skeeter and the Wolf" is the babies' adaptation of the story, but Prokofiev's music is not used.
- The Sesame Street Players Present Peter and the Wolf is a 1991 book and tape set that adapts the story as a Sesame Street pageant.
- The cast of Sesame Street participated in a performance of the piece with the Boston Pops for Evening at Pops in 2000.
- Elmo's Musical Adventure: Peter and the Wolf is a feature-length adaptation of the story released on home video in 2001. Baby Bear and Papa Bear attend a Boston Pops concert, at which Baby Bear imagines Elmo and his other friends as characters in the story.
References[]
- Big Bird hums a bit of Peter's theme when he enters a scene in Episode 0420 of Sesame Street.
- Big Bird and Grover listen to a recording of Peter and the Wolf in the book A Visit to the Sesame Street Library.
- When Richard Stoltzman shows Bob and the kids what his clarinet can do on Sesame Street in Episode 2439, he plays the cat's theme from Peter and the Wolf.
- Two sketches from Sesame Street Episode 3979 featuring Prairie Dawn and the Big Bad Wolf end with a music sting that briefly quotes Peter's theme from the score.
- Peter's theme from the score also appears as background music during the "Musical Fairy Tales" sketch with Little Red Riding Hood.
- An animated Sesame Street insert features the Big Bad Wolf, in sheep's clothing, whistling the classic score (Peter's theme) as he enters and exits. (First: Episode 2405)
Connections[]
Many celebrities have been involved in Peter and the Wolf projects, including:
- Kirstie Alley narrated a TV version by Chuck Jones (1995)
- Richard Attenborough and the Philharmonia of Hamburg (1966)
- Bil Baird created and puppeteered marionettes for Art Carney Meets Peter and the Wolf (TV, 1958)
- David Bowie and the Philadelphia Orchestra (1978)
- Art Carney appeared in Art Carney Meets Peter and the Wolf (1958)
- Carol Channing and the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra (1979)
- Bill Clinton and the Russian National Orchestra (2003)
- Phil Collins performed on The Rock Peter and the Wolf (1975)
- Alice Cooper and Bundesjugendorchester (2015)
- Viola Davis, Gustavo Dudamel and Hollywood Bowl Orchestra (2021)
- Dom DeLuise and The Little Orchestra Society (1991)
- Dame Edna Everage and the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra (1997)
- Mia Farrow with André Previn and the London Symphony Orchestra (1973)
- Faz Fazakas puppeteered marionettes for Art Carney Meets Peter and the Wolf (TV, 1958)
- José Ferrer and the Vienna State Opera Orchestra (1959)
- John Gielgud and the Academy of London Orchestra (1994) and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra (1996)
- Hermione Gingold and the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra (1975)
- Arthur Godfrey and Andre Kostelanetz's Orchestra (1955)
- Lorne Greene and the London Symphony Orchestra (1965)
- Melissa Joan Hart and the Boston Symphony Orchestra (1994)
- Bob Keeshan and the Stadium Symphony Orchestra of New York (1960)
- Ben Kingsley and the London Symphony Orchestra (1996)
- Joanna Lumley and the English Northern Philharmonia (2005)
- Bob McGrath and the Empire State Youth Orchestra (2000) and many live orchestras
- Dudley Moore and the Boston Pops (1984)
- Itzhak Perlman and the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra (1986)
- Peter Schickele adapted the work as "Sneaky Pete and the Wolf" (1993)
- Harry Shearer and the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra (2015)
- Patrick Stewart and the Orchestre de L'Opéra National de Lyon (1994)
- Peter Ustinov and the Philharmonia Orchestra (1956 and 1989)
- Jonathan Winters and the Philharmonia Orchestra (1989)
- Terry Wogan and the Boston Pops (1984)
- "Weird Al" Yankovic, arranged by Wendy Carlos (1988)