The heir of a fictional kingdom suffers from overwhelming sadness; but when Fata Morgana, a witch, inadvertently trips and falls, he suddenly doubles up with laughter. The offended witch curses the prince, forcing him to embark on a quest for happiness in the form of three oranges. His epic journey is replete with transformed princesses and wild card games, with an angry cook and monstrous rat for good measure. Drawing inspiration from a whimsical commedia dell’arte piece by Carlo Gozzi, the composer wrote a sarcastic and poetic libretto. Prokofiev’s lively style is undeniably catchy, placing the orchestra at the centre as a legitimate character. His musical landscape is eclectic, unpredictable, sweeping everything up in frenzy. This lively burlesque, satirical, and fantasy piece is directed by Laurent Pelly, and led by the sharp hand of internationally renowned conductor Dmitry Matvienko.