Opera version of DiCamillo's 'Edward Tulane' set for 2020

The Minnesota Opera will present a newly commissioned adaptation of Minneapolis author Kate DiCamillo's novel "The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane" in March 2020.

The libretto by Mark Campbell, a regular contributor to Minnesota Opera's New Works Initiative, will accompany music by composer Paola Prestini. She said it's been a challenging project.

"I was trying to create something that was very playful, but at the same time had great moments of complexity that could kind of bring to life the real core values of the book which are, you know, about finding home," Prestini said.

Campbell worked on "Silent Night" and "The Manchurian Candidate," among other Minnesota Opera projects.

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Prestini said that while the book is popular with young readers, she has worked recently on music intended for broad audiences, and believes "Edward Tulane" will have wide appeal.

"I really do think it's intergenerational," she said. "I don't think it's the kind of work that will have problems appealing in different ways to different operagoers of different ages."

The opera has been in development over the last two years. Prestini and Campbell are now working on completing the piece with full rehearsals set for early 2020.

"Edward Tulane" will be presented as part of the Minnesota Opera's 2019-2020 season, which will also include productions of "Elektra" by Richard Strauss, Rossini's "Barber of Seville," "Flight" by Jonathan Dove and Mozart's "Don Giovanni."