This April, more than 140 children and youth from across Kingston will take the stage in what is believed to be the largest children’s theatre production ever presented in Kingston. 

Cantabile Choirs is presenting The Hobbit, a children’s opera by Canadian composer Dean Burry, in a fully staged production at The Spire from April 23–26, 2026. Featuring singers ages 6 to 18, the production transforms Tolkien’s beloved story into a theatrical and musical adventure brought to life by young performers.

But this is more than a choir concert — it is a major collaborative arts production, involving partnerships with the Canadian Children’s Opera Chorus and the 1000 Islands Playhouse, combining professional theatre production with young voices. 

The result is a large-scale community arts project that blends music, theatre, storytelling, and design to create Middle-earth on stage in downtown Kingston. 

“This is unlike anything we’ve done before,” says Geoffrey Sirett, Artistic-Executive Director of Cantabile Choirs. “We’re building a full theatrical world — sets, lighting, costumes, staging — and placing children and youth at the centre of a production on a truly epic scale.”

Originally commissioned by the Canadian Children’s Opera Chorus, The Hobbit has become one of the most popular children’s operas in the world. Cantabile’s production brings together multiple children's choirs, young soloists, and a professional creative team working to transform The Spire into Bag End, the Misty Mountains, and the lair of Smaug the dragon.

“This opera was created to give young singers the opportunity to perform a real opera written specifically for them,” says Katherine Semcesen, Executive Director of the Canadian Children’s Opera Company. “Seeing organizations across the country continue to bring this work to life is incredibly exciting, and a unique opportunity for Kingston audiences.” 

The production also marks a unique collaboration with the 1000 Islands Playhouse, whose artistic team is contributing theatrical expertise and design support to help bring Tolkien’s world to the stage. 

“This kind of collaboration between theatre and youth music organizations is exactly the kind of creative partnership that helps build a vibrant arts community,” says Brett Christopher, Managing Artistic Director of the Thousand Islands Playhouse. “Our company artists have been inspired by the enthusiasm and skill of the young performers involved in this project and we're excited to help bring it to life.” 

With a cast of more than 140 young performers, elaborate staging, and a beloved story known around the world, The Hobbit represents one of Cantabile’s most ambitious projects in its 30-year history — and a rare opportunity for Kingston audiences to experience opera created specifically for young performers. 

Performances run April 23–26, 2026 at The Spire. Tickets and information are available here.

Posted: Apr 6, 2026 Originally Published: Mar 31, 2026