Child-friendly opera remains a strangely unexplored art form, but those days are changing. Zagreb’s Academy of Music is at the forefront of the revolution with this brilliant production, utilising the iconic lyrics of August Šenoa to create something exhilarating and exciting for a new generation of opera fans. Tomislav Uhlik’s “The Shoemaker and the Devil” follows
the highs and lows of a humble shoemaker forced into a deal with the devil and all the escapades that come from such an agreement. The opera premieres in Zagreb this February and will last 35 minutes at most. If you want to get the little ones into high-quality performance art, this is the perfect launchpad. The target age range is 7 to 11, but all ages are welcome.