As Earth Day is celebrated around the nation, the Savannah VOICE Festival is reminding fans near and far that this year’s festival, aptly themed “Heaven and Earth,” is shifting into high gear and moving full-speed ahead. 

In keeping with the theme, the festival features two celestially-themed operas, Poulenc’s “Dialogues of the Carmelites” and Portman’s “The Little Prince.” Set in the French Revolution, between the years 1789 and 1794, Poulenc’s tragic opera tells the story of the martyring of the entire Carmélite order. “The Little Prince” tells the story of an airplane pilot who crashes in the Sahara Desert and is befriended by a little prince who comes from a small planet called Asteroid 325. The little prince is on a journey to explore other planets and cure his loneliness.

And regarding talents that have been influenced by cultures around the earth, the legendary Argentinian tenor Santiago Ballerini will return to the festival once more, in a benefit concert sure to draw countless fans.

The festival’s pre-season phase kicks off with the official lineup announcement on May 1, followed by a Cinco de Mayo-themed Prelude event on May 5 at a home in The Landings. At that point, Prelude attendees and VOICE Society members will be able to purchase tickets to festival events. Tickets go on sale to the general public on May 20. Prelude tickets are still available and can be purchased by visiting savannahvoicefestival.org.