Notes from the podium: Familiar fairytale brought to life by Bremerton symphony, opera

You are going to love this year’s OrKIDstra production of "Little Red Riding Hood," from the Bremerton WestSound Symphony and Kitsap Opera. Until last year, I hadn’t even heard of this work, written by Seymour Barab in 1962 especially for audiences of children. In a departure from darker versions of the classic folk tale, Barab’s version is wholesome, innocent, and humorous. Though billed as a “children’s opera,” there is spoken dialogue as well as singing. The music is tuneful and accessible, and really enhances the storytelling. In our production, the...