Woodland creatures sing a Bellini opera in beautiful short film

1 July 2020, 17:04 | Updated: 1 July 2020, 17:06

By Maddy Shaw Roberts

This charming short film takes us deep into the forest to enjoy a nocturnal opera, performed by an ensemble of beautifully animated woodland creatures.

Maestro by Illogic Studios and Bloom Pictures is a gorgeous short film, starring an ensemble of animated woodland creatures that gather under a full moon one night to sing a Bellini anthem.

Toads, hedgehogs and turtles star in the nocturnal opera, which is conducted by a rather beautiful CGI squirrel.

The music is ‘Squilla il bronzo del dio... Guerra, guerra’, the great chorus from Vincenzo Bellini’s opera Norma.

Turtles sing Bellini chorus. Picture: Illogic Studios/Bloom Pictures

In an interview with Vimeo, the film’s director explains why they chose the chorus:

“We spent two weeks listening to opera songs and ended up with this track from the famous Bellini opera Norma called ‘Guerra Guerra,’ which is a war anthem.

“The track had the epic, explosive vibe we wanted, and a female singer, which was necessary for the bird character.

“So, if you’re wondering what these animals are singing, they’re basically preparing the revolution!”