BALLET’S ‘LITTLE PRINCE’ COMING

The Orange County Philharmonic Society will present the Los Angeles Chamber Ballet’s full-length production of “The Little Prince” for two performances next April 27 at the Orange County Performing Arts Center in Costa Mesa as part of the annual nationwide Imagination Celebration.

The Imagination Celebration is an arts program for children founded by the John F. Kennedy Center in Washington. For the past two years, the only Celebration events in Southern California have been staged in Orange County. In both cases, the events lasted two weeks and showcased scores of concerts, exhibitions and workshops by local groups. Further plans for next year’s Celebration will be announced.

The ballet version of “The Little Prince” is based on the children’s tale by Antoine de Saint-Exupery. It was choreographed in 1986 by Victoria Koenig and Raiford Rogers, Los Angeles Chamber Ballet co-directors, and Patrick Frantz and Stanley Holden. The score is by Lloyd Rodgers.

The Los Angeles Chamber Ballet was formed in 1981 and premiered two works--Rogers’ “Stone or Star” and Frantz’s “Liberty”--at its first local appearance in 1986 at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo.