Overview

Imagine a baby elephant discovering a mysterious grand piano with old ivory keys deep in South Africa's ancient Knysna forest—a symbol of loss, hope, and resilience. Babar is shown his history.

"Babar & The Piano” 

A 70-minute production including Poulenc's solo piano work with a new story and an acclaimed narrator. The story shows an orphaned elephant's journey: trauma from poachers, tender human care, and triumphant rewilding into a thriving herd. 

A production where piano and puppets move across the stage and interact, led by celebrated pianist and conductor, Jeanne-Minette Cilliers, featuring South Africa's vivid story-telling.

Visual magic comes from internationally-acclaimed South African puppeteer Janni Younge and her troupe, using full-scale artisan puppets crafted from repurposed materials, moving among the musicians.

Innovation & Impact

This is not simply a concert, but a cultural event with pre-concert workshops where participants build puppets and join the performers onstage in a powerful finale symbolizing unity and inter-dependence. It offers concert-goers a unique view of classical music, and an impactful way to participate.

We'll tour festivals, international concert halls, targeting key markets like Asia to shift hearts on poaching: educational outreach building bridges between classical music, conservation, and communities.