Stage: in Siem Reap, children sing L'Ami fidèle in French for Kantha Bopha
On 6 and 7 November, Alliance Française de Siem Reap presents a children's opera written and composed by Charles Limouse. The show blends an Andersen tale with a Khmer myth. The proceeds will go to Kantha Bopha hospital.
The curtain will rise in an unusual setting: the auditorium of Kantha Bopha children's hospital in Siem Reap. L'Ami fidèle (The Faithful Friend) will be performed on Friday 6 November at 6:30 pm and Saturday 7 November at 5 pm.
The story follows Chhin and a mysterious ally. Together they face a series of trials to save a bewitched princess. Charles Limouse, who wrote both libretto and music, drew on two sources: an Andersen tale and a Khmer myth. Faithfulness, which gives the work its title, runs through it.
The opera is sung in French. So that Cambodian and international audiences can follow the plot, performances will have Khmer and English surtitles.
Two schools on one stage
The roles are played by pupils from Wat Rajabo primary school and the Lycée Français International Monineath Sihanouk. The children are Cambodian and French.
Sabine Tourtellier of When Cats Fly creative company directs. She has worked with the young performers on acting, movement and stage presence. Simon Gilbert of Ars Musica is musical director and leads the vocal work.
For the Alliance Française, the project goes beyond the show. By singing and acting, the children make the French language their own. The project is part of the run-up to the 20th Francophonie Summit, held in Phnom Penh a few days later.
A show in aid of Kantha Bopha
Entry is free, with booking. All funds raised at the two performances will go to the hospital.
Kantha Bopha is a familiar name in Cambodia. Swiss paediatrician Beat Richner rebuilt the Phnom Penh hospital in 1992 at the King's request. The Jayavarman VII hospital in Siem Reap followed in 1999. The network now has five hospitals and a maternity unit. It treats around 85% of the country's sick and injured children free of charge, according to the Beat Richner foundation. It is funded largely by donations from Switzerland.
The project is led by Alliance Française de Siem Reap, with support from the French Embassy in Cambodia, the International Organisation of La Francophonie (OIF), OCIC, TotalEnergies and Wallonie-Bruxelles International, in partnership with Kantha Bopha hospital.
Practical information
• Dates: Friday 6 November 2026 at 6:30 pm, Saturday 7 November 2026 at 5 pm
• Venue: Kantha Bopha hospital auditorium, Siem Reap
• Entry: free, booking required
• Booking: https://forms.gle/evQ3wdU5YKgjD1919
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