Tidtaya Sinutoke

LITTLE DUGONG AND HER SEAGRASS SONG

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Music by Tidtaya Sinutoke

Libretto by Isabella Dawis

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Based on the Thai folktale “The Bruised Fish,” LITTLE DUGONG AND HER SEAGRASS SONG is an opera for kids about sea creature – using traditional Thai Southern folk music, dance, and shadow puppetry to educate young audiences about marine biology and climate change.

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A lost young dugong arrives at the shores of the Thai island of Phuket, separated from her mother because of human fishing activity. She meets a monkey and an elephant, chasing a lost jade bracelet which has been carried out to the ocean. All three animals agree to work together to find what they’re looking for. But the destructive behaviors they’ve picked up from humans threaten to undermine their teamwork. The dugong, monkey, and elephant must learn to appreciate their differences and help each other in the spirit of generosity and kindness.

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