The Ugly Duckling - a Pixi Opera

The very last egg in Mother Duck’s nest finally cracks open—and out tumbles a duckling unlike any the pond has ever seen. Why does it look so different? And does it even belong? A heart‑warming journey begins…

Three lively pigeons take centre stage as they bring the fairy tale to life. Bored and full of ideas, they decide to play the entire story—dressing up, swapping roles, and immersing themselves so completely in the adventure that they almost forget it’s all just pretend!

With The Royal Danish Theatre’s PixiPerformances, families are invited to a joyful and accessible introduction to the magic of opera, drama, ballet, and classical music. PixiOpera transforms grand operas into delightful mini‑productions for children, using well‑known musical themes paired with brand‑new, child‑friendly text. 

In The Ugly Duckling, the music is drawn from some of the greatest operatic treasures—including Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro and The Magic Flute, Carl Nielsen’s Maskarade, Peter Heise’s Drot and Marsk, Franz Lehár’s The Merry Widow, and Emmerich Kálmán’s The Csardas Princess.

Give children their—perhaps—very first encounter with the world of opera in this charming, humorous, and heartfelt performance created especially for little ones.

Recommended from 4 years old