Saint-Saëns
Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books While The Carnival of the Animals wasn’t publicly performed during the lifetime of its composer, Saint-Saëns, it’s since become a popular suite, especially for orchestral programs aimed at young listeners.

The Carnival of the Animals, composed in 1886, was originally written as a joke and Saint-Saëns worried that it might damage his reputation. He banned complete performances and only allowed one movement, The Swan, to be published while he was alive.

There are fourteen movements, each representing a different animal or animals:

• I. Introduction et marche royale du lion (Introduction and Royal March of the Lion)
• II. Poules et coqs (Hens and Roosters)
• III. Hémiones (animaux véloces) (Wild Donkeys Swift Animals)
• IV. Tortues (Tortoises)
• V.
• VI.
• VII.
• VIII.

Camille Saint-Saëns
Camille Saint-Saëns: The Carnival of the Animals – Narrated by Gary Moore.

Le cygne illustrates the fleeting nature of beauty with its interpretation of the legend of the “swan song”: A popular (albeit erroneous) belief among the ancient Greeks and Romans, who regarded the swan as the most beautiful of animals, was that the mute swan is silent until its final moments of life, during which it …

As in the Classical period, during the Romantic era, homophonic texture was primarily used (melody with accompaniment), and development sections sometimes used polyphonic texture (melody with different layer) and again this is a sign that the romantic era was very diverse and expressive.

It was originally written for private performance by an unusual ensemble consisting of two pianos and other instruments such as flute/piccolo, clarinet, glass harmonica, xylophone, and strings. Today it is usually performed with a full string orchestra or in a piano arrangement.

The Circa Carnival comes to town with whimsical tales of creatures of land and sea, who tumble, fly, leap and spin their way through the many wondrous worlds of the animal kingdom. Our zebras juggle and flip. Our kangaroos skip and somersault. We’ve elephants with street-cred and rhythm.

Carnival of the Animals is a delightful and unique circus and visual theatre experience for children (and their grownups) that beautifully uses and is inspired by the music of classic French composer Camille Saint-Saens.

Carnival of the Animals is about wild imagination, explosions of magic and comical humour that speaks to everyone, especially children. There are fun audience participation moments contrasted with sombre beauty and then rollicking humour.