A troop of jugglers, lively extras, fireworks, and acrobats turn Sergei Prokofiev’s best-known work into a lively mix of circus, tragedy and slapstick, with all the magic of wizards, witches, devils, fairies and princesses.

Based upon Carlo Gozzi’s tale, it tells the bizarre story of a sick prince who is cursed by a witch into ‘falling in love with three oranges’ – his punishment for laughing at her when she tripped over and revealed her underwear.

After a worldwide search, the prince and his jester come across the three huge and mysterious fruits, each containing a fairy princess. After two of the women immediately die of thirst, a beautiful princess emerges from the third orange and drinks some water before she and the prince fall in love.

However, while the prince searches for her clothes, the witch wickedly turns the princess into a rat and replaces her with a servant in disguise, leaving the prince facing a less than ideal wedding day. Advocates of tragedy, comedy, lyrical drama and farce fill the sidelines of the stage at Paris’s Opera National,intervening and entertaining throughout this varied performance.

Moving stylishly between the absurd, comic and tragic, Gilbert Deflo’s witty and inventive production, starring José Van Dam and Victor von Halem, is a perfect fit for Prokofiev’s energetic score.

Following the performance, How To Fall In Love With Three Oranges - a documentary by Reiner Moritz - goes behind the scenes at the Opera National, offering an insight into the rehearsals, stars and preparation behind Deflo’s captivating production.