Seymour Barab (1921-2014) was a noted American composer of opera, songs, instrumental pieces, and chamber music, as well as a veritable cellist, organist and pianist. He was especially well-known for his fairy tale operas for young audiences, one of which is featured on this release- Little Red Riding Hood. This is not only Barab’s most popular and most performed opera, it also the most performed opera of any American composer. It paved the way for the rest of Barab’s fairytale-based and children’s operas. He began working on the opera after he was asked to write an opera suitable for children in Winifred Leventritt’s program called “Young Audiences” which toured in public schools. The libretto for Little Red Riding Hood is the first that Barab wrote himself. His sensitivity to young audiences is clear in this opera, as well as all of his others.
