The Bremen Town Musicians

The Dallas Opera brings The Bremen Town Musicians to the Winspear Opera House on Saturday, October 17, at 2 PM. It's an operatic take on the Brothers Grimm tale, and it's billed as a family opera, so it's one of those shows that works just as well with kids in tow as it does on your own.

The story follows Eddie Pensier, a rooster who loves to sing but gets sent away from his farm. Along the way, he meets Barcarolle the dog, Dorabella the cat, and General Boom the donkey — four animals who all feel unwanted and are dreaming of something better. Together they form a band, and the whole thing turns on the idea that friendship, teamwork, and kindness make any journey easier and a lot more fun. It's a simple, warm story that's easy to follow.

What makes this one a bit different from your usual opera is where the music comes from. Instead of a single composer, the score pulls from a few big names: J. Offenbach, G. Rossini, G. Donizetti, A. Sullivan, and G. Verdi. John Davies handled the words and the adaptation of the story. It's sung in English with English titles, and it's accompanied by piano rather than a full orchestra, which keeps the whole thing feeling lean and direct. If you're not used to opera, that's a good place to start — it's in your own language, and the music is familiar.

It's a short one, too. The show runs about 35 minutes with no intermission, so it's in and out in under an hour. You'll find it at the Winspear Opera House, part of the AT&T Performing Arts Center at 2403 Flora Street in Dallas. Saturday, October 17, at 2 PM.