The Marsh King’s Daughter is based on the story of the same name by Hans Christian Andersen and is set to music by Mozart arranged and orchestrated by Bernard J. Taylor. It ransacks Mozart’s repertoire for his most well-loved and most beautiful music and puts it all together in a stirring tale of hardships overcome, evil vanquished and opposites attracted.

Cast requirements:
The show requires a minimum cast of about 25, but can be expanded to include a chorus of 20 or more.  There are 13 main characters, 2 secondary characters, and a chorus of at least 10, preferably more.  There is a chorus of birds and trees, a chorus of Pharaoh’s attendants (who appear only in the opening scene),  and a chorus of Vikings.  Orchestrations are available for 10-12 instruments.

Main characters:
HELGA, the Marsh King’s Daughter, a firebrand by day and a frog by night
AHMOSE, Helga’s birth mother and daughter of a Pharaoh
SIMON, a resolute pacifist who falls in love with Helga
PAPA STORK, a very business-minded stork
MAMA STORK, his more reticent wife
SUNFLOWER, a large creature obsessed by the fashion industry
QUEEN of the NIGHT, who feeds on human souls
MARSH KING, the Queen of the Night’s loveless son
ANKHESENAUM, Ahmose’s anxious mother
HILDA, the kindly adoptive mother of Helga
SWAN 1, doing what swans do
SWAN 2, ditto
SIGURD, Helga’s adoptive father, a warrior

Secondary Characters:
PHYSICIAN
PHARAOH

Chorus:
TREES (friendly and villainous)
VIKINGS
VARIOUS BIRDS
PHARAOH’S ATTENDANTS

Please see Production Information for licensing contacts. Libretto, orchestrations, midi files and backing tracks are available upon request.

CD is available on the Recordings page.