Children’s opera for one speaker, 6 voices and ensemble (13 players, conductor)
Text by Klaus Angermann based on the fairy tale „Die kluge Bauerstochter“ by Brüder Grimm, retold as „Königin Rolleriana, die Erste“ by Jan Werich 

Commissioned by the Opera House, Nuremberg

Narrator, also king (speaker)
Gretchen (soprano)
Fisherman, also gelding seller and horse No. 2 (Bass baritone)
Fisherman's wife, also voice of horse No. 1 and chicken in the background (mezzo soprano)
Miller, also mare seller and horse No. 3 (Tenor)
Servants, also animal's voices in the background  (2 extras)

Scoring: fl(picc).clar – hn.tuba – 2perc – hp – piano(prepared)/cel – 3vl.vc.db

World première
Nuremberg, Opernhaus, March 4, 2006

Gretchen, the daughter of the poor fisherman, is quick-wittet. She even knows how to pay someone a very unusual visit. Neither by car nor by foot, neither clothed nor naked, neither with shoes or barefoot, neither combed nor tousled, neither bearing gifts nor empty handed. How this can possibly be, we shall of course not yet reveal. Perhaps only this much: The king falls in love with her at first sight and makes her his queen. But this is not much of a secret (that’s the way it goes in most fairytales!).