Ravel's inner child

Imagination, play, and innocence are essential elements in much of Ravel's endlessly creative output. As far as we know, Maurice's early life was a happy one, marked by a passion for art that was encouraged by both his parents. He always retained a joyful sense of discovery and experimentation, honoring his inner child especially in works like L'Enfant et les Sortilèges (one of his two operas, present here also in its ballet version), in which a misbehaving child's toys come to life; and Ma Mère l'Oye (Mother Goose), which sets fairy tales like Sleeping Beauty and Beauty and the Beast — and which you can experience here in its original piano version, in Ravel's own orchestration, or on the ballet stage!