The Painted Dragon: October 2025 at the Ufa Fabrik in Tempelhof.
The Painted Dragon was written, directed and composed by Rose Nolan @rotespatz. It is a newly composed opera tailored for children aged 5 to 12. Its focus is on climate change and it's set in Australia. Through highlighting the effects of climate change on Australian animals and their habitat, the opera aims to increase awareness of global warming. The opera takes its audience on a journey through various tales of Australian animals and their struggles with climate change. It guides listeners through imaginative and fun ways they can help reduce their environmental footprint, empowering them with the knowledge that everyone can make a positive difference.
Thank you to KiA-Förderprogramms from the district of Tempelhof-Schöneberg who supported us in our production of The Painted Dragon which was performed as part of the KinderKulturMonat 2025, the Ufa Fabrik in Tempelhof.
Kinder Opera would love to thank the Unkraut Kollektiv and the Vielrespektstiftung for giving us the opportunity to workshop The Painted Dragon as part of the 2024 Unkraut Kollektiv Dreamsplatform.
DEUTSCHE VERSION:
Ein magisches Abenteuer mit einer kraftvollen Botschaft! Suchen Sie nach einer spannenden und bedeutungsvollen Erfahrung für Ihr Kind? Diese bezaubernde Oper verwandelt eine wichtige Umweltlektion in ein unterhaltsames Abenteuer! Begleiten Sie Robin Hood und Drew, einen gemalten Drachen, auf ihrer Reise durch die australische Wildnis auf der Suche nach ihrem Freund, Koey dem Koala. Auf ihrem Weg treffen sie faszinierende einheimische Tiere und entdecken die realen Auswirkungen des Klimawandels auf ihre Lebensräume.
Durch Musik, Geschichten und interaktive Momente wird das junge Publikum nicht nur gut unterhalten, sondern lernt auch etwas über Nachhaltigkeit, Umweltverschmutzung und darüber, wie kleine Maßnahmen zum Schutz unseres Planeten beitragen können. Diese Aufführung eignet sich perfekt für Kinder im Alter von 5 bis 12 Jahren, denn sie weckt die Neugier, fördert das Umweltbewusstsein und macht das Lernen über die Umwelt zu einem unvergesslichen Erlebnis!
„The Painted Dragon“ wird sowohl von englischsprachigen als auch von deutschsprachigen Zuschauern verstanden werden können.
Wir danken dem KiA-Förderprogramm des Bezirks Tempelhof-Schöneberg für die Unterstützung dieser Aufführung.
Performers:
Rose Nolan is the composer, director and performs the role of Robin Hood in The Painted Dragon.
Nolan (she/her) is the general director for KinderOpera. She supervises the running of the company, selects the artists and repertoire.
In October 2022 Rose premiered her first opera composition Bear Hunt at the Melbourne Fringe Festival in Australia. Nolan directed and produced KinderOpera's premiere of Barry Russell's The Wind and the Hares at the Melbourne Museum in association with Melbourne Music Week and directed and produced Kinder Opera's El Gato con Botas for the Spanish Festival Kinder, Hoftheater Kreuzberg.
Nolan studied at the Royal Academy of Music in London and was awarded the following scholarships: Alex Templeton; William Gibbs Religious and Educational Trust; Ars Musica Australis and an Opus 50 Charitable Trust. She was a finalist for the New York Study Award at the Sydney Opera House and won the Frank Lasslett Memorial Award at the National Liederfest Australia. Rose completed a Bachelor Arts (Music) and a Bachelor Science (psychology) at La Trobe University, Melbourne. She holds a Masters of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Illinois, USA.
Nolan toured through China with the 70 piece Royal Melbourne Philharmonic Orchestra. Companies she has worked with include Opera Australia, OzOpera, Surrey Opera, Gertrude Opera, The Yarra Valley Opera Festival, Buxton Festival Opera, Royal Melbourne Philharmonic Orchestra, Lyric Opera of Melbourne, Grange Park Opera, Melbourne Opera Company, Brandenburgisches Konzertorchester Eberswalde, Opera on Tap, Independent Classics Melbourne, Scottish Opera and Victorian Opera.
Roles performed include L'enfant in L'enfant et les sortilèges, Old Woman and Mrs North Wind in The Enchanted Pig, Ann in To Hell and Back, Serena Joy in Handmaid's Tale, Bradamante in Alcina, Hata in The Bartered Bride, Gato in El Gato con Botas, Madam Flora in The Medium, Desideria in Saint of Bleeker Street, Secretary in The Consul, Flora in La Traviata, Orlofsky in Die Fledermaus, Nancy in Albert Herring, Mercedes in Carmen, David in Saul, Tessa in The Gondoliers, Hansel in Hansel and Gretel, Sara in Roberto Devereux, Oreste in La belle Hélène, Clown and Juggler in Sid the Serpent.
Nolan has performed as soloist for the White Nights Festival at the Melbourne Museum and at the M Pavilion in Melbourne. Rose performed the European premier of Vartan Aghababian's Grande Passion song cycle and world premiered Sergey Khismatov's Voice Quartet (2012) for the Berlin Hof Klang Festival. She performed A temporary monument to the outsider at English Theatre Berlin with Erkki Veltheim and Sabina Maselli. She was an Emerging Artists for Opera Danube at St John's Square London and performed with Fernando Montano, soloist from the Royal Ballet, at the Cafe de Paris in London, as the headline act for the LUKAS awards, presented by Vivienne Westwood.
In Melbourne she regularly led her own jazz band which played at various venues such as The Hilton Hotel, The Carlton Crest Hotel and held various residences such as an 8 month residency at the Stork Hotel in Melbourne’s Central Business District.
Insa Bernds is the Pianist for The Painted Dragon.
Bernds studied piano, music theory, and violin, followed by musicology and comparative literature in Lübeck, Freiburg, Milan, and Berlin. Based in Berlin, she works as a freelance musician and musicologist, with a particular focus on collaborative piano.
As répétiteur and pianist she has been engaged in numerous music theatre productions, frequently also assuming musical preparation and direction (including at the Neuköllner Oper, Oper Oder-Spree, Schlossplatztheater Köpenick, and the Lübeck Summer Operetta). She performs regularly as orchestral pianist, organist, and harpsichordist with ensembles such as the Preußisches Kammerorchester, Berliner Symphoniker, Kammersymphonie Berlin, and the Szczecin Philharmonic. She also appears as accompanist with leading choirs (Rundfunkchor Berlin, Hanns Eisler Choir Berlin, Clara Schumann Women’s Choir, Wilmersdorfer Kammerchor) and vocal ensembles, as well as in early jazz and swing groups (Berlin Shimmy Orchestra, Alec Wilder Octet Berlin).
Since 2020 she has held a teaching appointment at the Berlin University of the Arts (UdK), joined in 2021 by an appointment at the Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler and in 2025 by a further position at the Ernst Busch Academy of Dramatic Arts.
Caitlin Toohey is performing the soprano roles of cat, fairy, koala, elf and sardine.
Toohey (she/her) is a soprano from Melbourne Australia, and graduate of the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music. She is an emerging artist with the Australian Contemporary Opera Company (2022-2024), performances included the Australian Premiere of Will Todd's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Leonard Cohen's Book of Longing . Caitlin was a Herald Sun Aria Semi Finalist, and recipient of the Ambassadorial Scholarship and Audience Prize from the Acclaim Italian Opera Awards. Roles include Mére Marie, Wellgunde, Magda Sorrel and La Contessa Almaviva.
Alison Schumacher is performing the role of The Painted Dragon, narrator and frog.
Schumacher (they/them) is a german actor, writer and singer. They are currently based in berlin. Alison is the co-founder of the acting-collective "Pinkrevolte", in which all member write, direct and perform their own plays. Pinkrevolte's plays focus on intersectional feminism, LGBTQIA+, mental health and inclusion. Alison is a member of #ActOut and the Queer Media Society. As non-binary person with autism, Alison is fighting for representation and inclusion in the media industry.
Thank you to KiA-Förderprogramms from the district of Tempelhof-Schöneberg who are supporting us in our production of The Painted Dragon which will be performed as part of the KinderKulturMonat in October 2025 at the Ufa Fabrik in Tempelhof.
Kinder Opera would love to thank the Unkraut Kollektiv and the Vielrespektstiftung for giving us the opportunity to workshop The Painted Dragon as part of the 2024 Unkraut Kollektiv Dreamsplatform.
Performers: 🎤Alison Schumacher @alison_schumacher 🎤Caitlin Toohey @caitlin.toohey.soprano 🎤Rose Nolan @rotespatz.
The Painted Dragon was written, directed and composed by Rose Nolan @rotespatz. It is a newly composed opera tailored for children aged 5 to 12. Its focus is on climate change and it's set in Australia. Through highlighting the effects of climate change on Australian animals and their habitat, the opera aims to increase awareness of global warming. The opera takes its audience on a journey through various tales of Australian animals and their struggles with climate change. It guides listeners through imaginative and fun ways they can help reduce their environmental footprint, empowering them with the knowledge that everyone can make a positive difference.
Thank you to KiA-Förderprogramms from the district of Tempelhof-Schöneberg who supported us in our production of The Painted Dragon which was performed as part of the KinderKulturMonat 2025, the Ufa Fabrik in Tempelhof.
Kinder Opera would love to thank the Unkraut Kollektiv and the Vielrespektstiftung for giving us the opportunity to workshop The Painted Dragon as part of the 2024 Unkraut Kollektiv Dreamsplatform.
DEUTSCHE VERSION:
Ein magisches Abenteuer mit einer kraftvollen Botschaft! Suchen Sie nach einer spannenden und bedeutungsvollen Erfahrung für Ihr Kind? Diese bezaubernde Oper verwandelt eine wichtige Umweltlektion in ein unterhaltsames Abenteuer! Begleiten Sie Robin Hood und Drew, einen gemalten Drachen, auf ihrer Reise durch die australische Wildnis auf der Suche nach ihrem Freund, Koey dem Koala. Auf ihrem Weg treffen sie faszinierende einheimische Tiere und entdecken die realen Auswirkungen des Klimawandels auf ihre Lebensräume.
Durch Musik, Geschichten und interaktive Momente wird das junge Publikum nicht nur gut unterhalten, sondern lernt auch etwas über Nachhaltigkeit, Umweltverschmutzung und darüber, wie kleine Maßnahmen zum Schutz unseres Planeten beitragen können. Diese Aufführung eignet sich perfekt für Kinder im Alter von 5 bis 12 Jahren, denn sie weckt die Neugier, fördert das Umweltbewusstsein und macht das Lernen über die Umwelt zu einem unvergesslichen Erlebnis!
„The Painted Dragon“ wird sowohl von englischsprachigen als auch von deutschsprachigen Zuschauern verstanden werden können.
Wir danken dem KiA-Förderprogramm des Bezirks Tempelhof-Schöneberg für die Unterstützung dieser Aufführung.
Performers:
Rose Nolan is the composer, director and performs the role of Robin Hood in The Painted Dragon.
Nolan (she/her) is the general director for KinderOpera. She supervises the running of the company, selects the artists and repertoire.
In October 2022 Rose premiered her first opera composition Bear Hunt at the Melbourne Fringe Festival in Australia. Nolan directed and produced KinderOpera's premiere of Barry Russell's The Wind and the Hares at the Melbourne Museum in association with Melbourne Music Week and directed and produced Kinder Opera's El Gato con Botas for the Spanish Festival Kinder, Hoftheater Kreuzberg.
Nolan studied at the Royal Academy of Music in London and was awarded the following scholarships: Alex Templeton; William Gibbs Religious and Educational Trust; Ars Musica Australis and an Opus 50 Charitable Trust. She was a finalist for the New York Study Award at the Sydney Opera House and won the Frank Lasslett Memorial Award at the National Liederfest Australia. Rose completed a Bachelor Arts (Music) and a Bachelor Science (psychology) at La Trobe University, Melbourne. She holds a Masters of Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Illinois, USA.
Nolan toured through China with the 70 piece Royal Melbourne Philharmonic Orchestra. Companies she has worked with include Opera Australia, OzOpera, Surrey Opera, Gertrude Opera, The Yarra Valley Opera Festival, Buxton Festival Opera, Royal Melbourne Philharmonic Orchestra, Lyric Opera of Melbourne, Grange Park Opera, Melbourne Opera Company, Brandenburgisches Konzertorchester Eberswalde, Opera on Tap, Independent Classics Melbourne, Scottish Opera and Victorian Opera.
Roles performed include L'enfant in L'enfant et les sortilèges, Old Woman and Mrs North Wind in The Enchanted Pig, Ann in To Hell and Back, Serena Joy in Handmaid's Tale, Bradamante in Alcina, Hata in The Bartered Bride, Gato in El Gato con Botas, Madam Flora in The Medium, Desideria in Saint of Bleeker Street, Secretary in The Consul, Flora in La Traviata, Orlofsky in Die Fledermaus, Nancy in Albert Herring, Mercedes in Carmen, David in Saul, Tessa in The Gondoliers, Hansel in Hansel and Gretel, Sara in Roberto Devereux, Oreste in La belle Hélène, Clown and Juggler in Sid the Serpent.
Nolan has performed as soloist for the White Nights Festival at the Melbourne Museum and at the M Pavilion in Melbourne. Rose performed the European premier of Vartan Aghababian's Grande Passion song cycle and world premiered Sergey Khismatov's Voice Quartet (2012) for the Berlin Hof Klang Festival. She performed A temporary monument to the outsider at English Theatre Berlin with Erkki Veltheim and Sabina Maselli. She was an Emerging Artists for Opera Danube at St John's Square London and performed with Fernando Montano, soloist from the Royal Ballet, at the Cafe de Paris in London, as the headline act for the LUKAS awards, presented by Vivienne Westwood.
In Melbourne she regularly led her own jazz band which played at various venues such as The Hilton Hotel, The Carlton Crest Hotel and held various residences such as an 8 month residency at the Stork Hotel in Melbourne’s Central Business District.
Insa Bernds is the Pianist for The Painted Dragon.
Bernds studied piano, music theory, and violin, followed by musicology and comparative literature in Lübeck, Freiburg, Milan, and Berlin. Based in Berlin, she works as a freelance musician and musicologist, with a particular focus on collaborative piano.
As répétiteur and pianist she has been engaged in numerous music theatre productions, frequently also assuming musical preparation and direction (including at the Neuköllner Oper, Oper Oder-Spree, Schlossplatztheater Köpenick, and the Lübeck Summer Operetta). She performs regularly as orchestral pianist, organist, and harpsichordist with ensembles such as the Preußisches Kammerorchester, Berliner Symphoniker, Kammersymphonie Berlin, and the Szczecin Philharmonic. She also appears as accompanist with leading choirs (Rundfunkchor Berlin, Hanns Eisler Choir Berlin, Clara Schumann Women’s Choir, Wilmersdorfer Kammerchor) and vocal ensembles, as well as in early jazz and swing groups (Berlin Shimmy Orchestra, Alec Wilder Octet Berlin).
Since 2020 she has held a teaching appointment at the Berlin University of the Arts (UdK), joined in 2021 by an appointment at the Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler and in 2025 by a further position at the Ernst Busch Academy of Dramatic Arts.
Caitlin Toohey is performing the soprano roles of cat, fairy, koala, elf and sardine.
Toohey (she/her) is a soprano from Melbourne Australia, and graduate of the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music. She is an emerging artist with the Australian Contemporary Opera Company (2022-2024), performances included the Australian Premiere of Will Todd's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Leonard Cohen's Book of Longing . Caitlin was a Herald Sun Aria Semi Finalist, and recipient of the Ambassadorial Scholarship and Audience Prize from the Acclaim Italian Opera Awards. Roles include Mére Marie, Wellgunde, Magda Sorrel and La Contessa Almaviva.
Alison Schumacher is performing the role of The Painted Dragon, narrator and frog.
Schumacher (they/them) is a german actor, writer and singer. They are currently based in berlin. Alison is the co-founder of the acting-collective "Pinkrevolte", in which all member write, direct and perform their own plays. Pinkrevolte's plays focus on intersectional feminism, LGBTQIA+, mental health and inclusion. Alison is a member of #ActOut and the Queer Media Society. As non-binary person with autism, Alison is fighting for representation and inclusion in the media industry.
Thank you to KiA-Förderprogramms from the district of Tempelhof-Schöneberg who are supporting us in our production of The Painted Dragon which will be performed as part of the KinderKulturMonat in October 2025 at the Ufa Fabrik in Tempelhof.
Kinder Opera would love to thank the Unkraut Kollektiv and the Vielrespektstiftung for giving us the opportunity to workshop The Painted Dragon as part of the 2024 Unkraut Kollektiv Dreamsplatform.
Performers: 🎤Alison Schumacher @alison_schumacher 🎤Caitlin Toohey @caitlin.toohey.soprano 🎤Rose Nolan @rotespatz.
Previous productions:
The Wind and the Hares by Barry Russell at the Melbourne Museum in association with Melbourne Music Week.
Directed by Rose Nolan, Musical coachings by Pamela Christie
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Performers: Louise Keast and
Jessica Carrascalao Heard. Jess also took this fabulous photo!
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Reviews
The Painted Dragon by Rose Nolan
Brandon: "Thank you so much! It was a wonderful event and both Caspian and I had a lovely time. Caspian couldn't stop talking about the show on the way home, he was enraptured. Can't wait to see it again!"
Alexandra: "It was so so so wonderful yesterday. Lazlo, Benno and I had a splendid time. Thank you again so much for putting all this together and allowing us to be part of this awesome day!"
Michael: "Thank you again for a fabulous performance and a wonderful event for Emil and me!"
Valbona: "Thank you for the invite and for the opportunity to be a part of today's performance! Great job!!!"
Luana: "Thank you for the amazing show."
Bear Hunt composed by Rose Nolan (myself) premiered at the Melbourne Fringe Festival 2022:
"Thank you SO much for our musical journey! It was such a delight and privilege to have our own personalised story and my 5 year old son loved hearing our names throughout it. You must spend much time putting these pieces together so carefully. Lovely imagery! Row me to the stars in your canoe is magical."
The Wind and the Hares by Barry Russell:
"Great show - wind and the hares - cheers to you and the team - please let me know if it will be on again elsewhere - happy to recommend to other parents + come along again."
"Wonderful, we loved it."
"Would definitely come again!"
The Painted Dragon by Rose Nolan
Brandon: "Thank you so much! It was a wonderful event and both Caspian and I had a lovely time. Caspian couldn't stop talking about the show on the way home, he was enraptured. Can't wait to see it again!"
Alexandra: "It was so so so wonderful yesterday. Lazlo, Benno and I had a splendid time. Thank you again so much for putting all this together and allowing us to be part of this awesome day!"
Michael: "Thank you again for a fabulous performance and a wonderful event for Emil and me!"
Valbona: "Thank you for the invite and for the opportunity to be a part of today's performance! Great job!!!"
Luana: "Thank you for the amazing show."
Bear Hunt composed by Rose Nolan (myself) premiered at the Melbourne Fringe Festival 2022:
"Thank you SO much for our musical journey! It was such a delight and privilege to have our own personalised story and my 5 year old son loved hearing our names throughout it. You must spend much time putting these pieces together so carefully. Lovely imagery! Row me to the stars in your canoe is magical."
The Wind and the Hares by Barry Russell:
"Great show - wind and the hares - cheers to you and the team - please let me know if it will be on again elsewhere - happy to recommend to other parents + come along again."
"Wonderful, we loved it."
"Would definitely come again!"