Special guest Sammy J narrates The Carnival of the Animals at Family Fiesta, featuring verse by beloved Australian playwright, Nick Enright. Come and hear the talented players of the Sir Zelman Cowen School of Music and Performance perform Camille Saint-Saëns’s classic score. Listen out for the music of the emu, tortoise, elephant, kangaroo or…the character with long ears. Including an opportunity to meet the musicians following the performance.

Sammy J is an award-winning comedian, author and musician. As a proud nerd, he abandoned his law degree to travel the world and sing funny songs for a living. You may have seen him on TV, at a festival, or as one half of the man/puppet duo Sammy J & Randy.

Camille Saint-Saëns composed The Carnival of the Animals in 1868, as a suite of fourteen short movements for a chamber group of 11 instruments: flute/piccolo, clarinet, two pianos, glass harmonica, xylophone, two violins, viola, cello, and double bass. Widely considered one of Saint-Saëns most popular works, he was afraid that people wouldn’t consider him a serious composer if they heard The Carnival of the Animals, and made sure it was not published until after his death. He did, however, allow the 13th movement, The Swan, to be published during his lifetime.