Sendak's designs enhance the characters and add a farcical element to this fantasy/satire/nightmare/romance.
The king's son can only be cured by laughter, but nothing the jester can think of produces that effect. When the wicked loses her skirt and the prince laughs hysterically, she condemns him to fall in love with 3 oranges, which he pursues zealously.
Prokofiev's brilliant rhythmic score is conducted by Bernard Haitink in this Glyndebourne Festival Opera production. Willard White sings the role of the king. French with English subtitles. 115 min. DVD